Where did he go and What happened post Stalker
by nicksfriend
Summary: It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!
1. Chapter 1

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my first CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Where would he go? His condo had a dead body, yellow crime tape and a big hole in the ceiling. What a damn crappy day.

He turned to leave, Brass had brought him to the station. He would need to call a cab, go back to the condo, gather a few things including his pain medication and get a hotel room.

"Hey where are you going Nicky?" Brass's voice came out of nowhere.

"Home to get some things and then a hotel." His voice low, he was dead tired and he hurt, badly. The scuffle with Nigel Crane had exhausted his already tired and battered body.

"I have an extra room and I won't be home for a while. You are welcome to come and stay with me until we get your house cleared." He gave Nicky a crooked smile, "And you don't have a door."

"I know, it's been a hell of a day." Nick bent his head and and took a deep breath. "Thanks Jim but I need to be alone for a while."

" I can't let you do that Nicky." Brass's facial expression was now very serious.

"What?" Nick asked, feeling a little angry that he could not have some time alone to process what had happened.

"I am placing you under protective custody until we are for sure Crane did not have a partner. It might take a while to go through all of those tapes. He did have access to an inner office newsletter and we are not for sure it might have been from an insider." Brass was pointing towards the door into his office.

"What the hell Jim, I've been through Hell and back today and I just want to be left the hell alone." Nick's angry voice was getting a lot of attention so Brass opened his office door and led the young man to a chair.

"Listen Nicky, either we do it my way or you can spend the night with any one of my officers babysitting you in a place of my choosing and that place would be the hospital, because I am not convinced that you are one-hundred percent right now." Brass sat down and picked up his phone."It's your choice, my house or the hospital."

Nick was biting his lip and feeling really not in control of anything. A young woman had died because of him and then he was stupid enough to enter an unsecured building and get pushed out of a two story window. "Okay, your house will be fine." He paused for a second,"I hate hospitals."

"Thought you might see it my way." He made a short call telling someone that he would be off duty for about an hour or so and then he picked up his car keys and led the way to his car.

The fresh, cool Las Vegas night air helped his mood a little. The night was almost over, soon the day would begin again and hell, what else could happen? He opened the passenger side door and eased his sore body inside, letting out a low moan as he fastened his seatbelt.

"How long ago did you take your pain med Nicky?" Brass asked like an overprotective father as he entered the car and fastened his seatbelt.

"It was about one, maybe, I can't remember." He leaned his head back against the head rest and closed his eyes.

"Can you make it until we get home or do I need to get your pain medication first?" He could see the pale complexion of his young CSI even in the darkness of the car, the multiple cuts and bruises evidence of the beating he had taken physically but he knew the mental beating he was giving himself was a lot worse. He needed to keep an eye on Nick.

"I can wait." He lied, he just wanted to go to sleep now. He felt exhausted.

Brass eased his car out of the parking area on the main road, trying to avoid any bumps or unnecessary jerking. He did not want to wake up Nick, who had fallen asleep withing minutes into the drive.

He drove towards Nick's condo and finally arrived, police stationed outside recognized him immediately and let him through.

Nick just rolled his head to the side, soft snoring sounds emanating from the now sleeping man.

Brass rolled down the window and told one of his officers to go and pack a bag for the CSI, and to get his pain medication which he thought he had seen on the counter and a bottle of water. The police officer nodded and left to get Nick's things. Brass pulled out his cellphone and hit the quick dial to Grissom's.

"Grissom." He answered immediately expecting Brass's call.

"I'm taking him to my house. I just stopped at his condo to pick up his pain medication and some clothes." Brass kept his voice low and quiet.

"Good, did he give you any problems?" Grissom asked knowing how stubborn Nick could be when he was having a bad day.

"It was like taking candy from a baby. Well, maybe a toddler." His sarcastic tone evident. Nick was as stubborn as any Texan he had ever met.

"I'll stop by in the morning to see how he is doing. Keep me informed." Grissom hung up.

"Yeah, this is going to be a fun day." he spoke out loud to himself, knowing that Nick was going to have it rough for a few days. He would need to see a counselor before returning to work, that should be easy. He could not help but to laugh out loud at that thought.

The officer returned with the bottle of pills and water, a packed duffle bag and a toiletries bag. Brass gave his thanks and pulled out of the driveway. The officers had been given orders earlier to not leave until the condo was secured. That meant the door had to replaced pronto.

As he drove towards his house he noticed that Nick was moaning and the grimace on his face told him that the boy was in a lot of pain but too exhausted to wake up from his fitful rest to do anything about it.

After a fairly short drive they arrived at Brass's two story house, hitting the garage door opener he pulled into the well lit garage. Brass called out to Nick."Hey Nicky, we're here."

Opening his eyes was a task, they felt heavy and he had a terrible headache. He reached over and pulled up the door handle and unfastened his seatbelt.

Brass was opening the door to the house when he noticed that Nick had not gotten out of the car. He walked around the car to find him bent over hugging his ribs.

"Nick, let me help you son." He reached down and helped him to his feet but he was not very steady so Brass allowed him to lean into him and he placed his arm around him and got him inside the house.

The extra bedroom was fortunately downstairs and he quickly got Nick to the room assisting him with his shoes and the extra shirt. Nick just collapsed onto the soft bed and let out a groan as his head hit the pillow.

Brass went back to the car and collected Nick's things, including his pain medicine and the bottle of water.

Taking the medicine bottle filled with the Vicodin tablets, reading the directions he pulled out two pills and opened the bottle of water. He reentered the bedroom and gently shook Nick on the shoulder. "Nick, you need to take these for your pain."

He opened his eyes and took the pills,swallowing them down with the proferred water and then closed his eyes again,"Thanks Jim." His voice weak and groggy.

"No problem Nicky." He placed a blanket over nick's still body then reached over and turned off the lights,he would not be leaving the young CSI. Plans were already being made for him to be off for a couple of days. The rest of the team would also be coming over to assist with their friend's recovery.

The next Morning

Grissom had arrived early, Nick was still sleeping but Brass was having his second cup of coffee.

"How did he do last night?" Grissom asked as he quietly walked down the hallway towards Nick's temporary bedroom.

"He's been out like a light, I even checked to see if he was still breathing a few times." Brass smiled at Grissom who was looking at him strangely.

"He was." Brass shrugged his shoulders, "Both times."

Grissom shook his head at his friend and walked into the bedroom to find a still sleeping Nick.

"He looks awful pale." Grissom assessment was no different than Brass's, breathing but looks like crap. He quietly turned to walk out when he heard a quiet voice muttering incoherent words.

Grissom turned back to enter the room when he saw Nick come straight up out of bed and he was screaming Nigel's name. He was fighting the frightening man all over again.

"Nick, it's okay. You're safe." Grissom's firm voice was able to penetrate the fog of Nick's dream and he turned surprised to see his boss standing in the bedroom, though he really didn't remember who's bedroom at the moment.

"Sorry, bad dream." he confessed rubbing his face and attempting to get out of the bed but was stopped by the pain in his ribs and his sore body. He quickly laid back down, "Be honest, someone ran over me with a truck, right?"

"Right after you were pushed from a two-story window." Brass replied as he moved towards Nick's bedside table and pulled the pill bottle out of the draw where he had deposited it earlier that morning.

"That stuff is too strong, do you have any Motrin?" Nick asked, staring over at the bottle.

"That stuff will tear up your stomach if you don't eat. How about some eggs?" Brass actually was a good cook, he enjoyed bringing the staff his baked goods, it was like a hobby.

"Too nauseated, maybe some toast." The thought of eating was making his stomach ache that much more, he just wanted to feel better and go home.

"Toast it is." Brass left the room to make the toast. Grissom found a chair near the bed, pulled it over beside of Nick and sat down,taking in his CSI's appearance.

"I fell out of the back of my father's truck when I was a teenager, felt a lot worse than this." He paused for a second then continued,"Well, maybe not as bad but close."

"Sorry Nick." apologizing more for all that he had been through than what had happened with the truck.

"It's fine. Ribs heal, I should be back to work in a week according to the doctor." His voice seemed a little bit stronger when he talked about returning to work.

"We'll see Nick. You are not to rush it,understand." Grissom looked at Nick over his glasses, a look that told him that he would be the judge of when he returned and not the doctor.

Nick just nodded, he knew how to play the game. He had been here before. He closed his eyes and and waited for Brass to bring the toast and pain medicine. It was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my first CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Nick didn't make it through his breakfast toast before he found himself throwing up on himself and Grissom. Brass and Grissom had to help his sore body to the bathroom and stayed with him until he finished bringing up everything in his stomach including the gastric acid.

Nick felt embarrassed and to a certain degree incapable of taking care of even the most simple of tasks. His body more sore than the night before, his neck stiff and painful and his ribs were screaming. He hated appearing weak in front of Grissom and Brass.

He turned over now, the bed cleaned from the earlier vomiting episode and looked around, he must have fallen back to sleep afterwards, at least for a while because now he found a new sitter at his bed.

"Did Grissom go home to take a bath?" He voice gravely from the vomiting episode.

"He did stink Nick." Sara answered not taking her attention away from the book she was reading.

He nodded, bet he did after he threw up on him, not many people could honestly say that they had thrown up on their boss.

"Are you here to babysit?" Feeling annoyed by his inability to move more than a few inches without moaning in pain.

"Yep, I'm it Nick." She lay the book down and gave Nick a solid stare, ""And I have a gun so don't even think you can pull one of your fast ones on me." She smiled and stood up, coming over to his bed and reaching down and placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"No problem. I'm content.", he said,blushing from the small show of affection.

She gave him that don't even go there look and reached up and pushed his sweaty hair from his face.

"Listen, I need to run to the bathroom, so do not try anything." She pointed her finger at him in warning as she also gave him her best grin.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to Sara." He looked at her with his puppy dogs eye look and she melted.

"Sorry Nick. I'll be right back." She then walked out the of room.

He felt better after sleeping but he still hurt and his stomach was still having a problem. Pain medicine was not an option given the rumbling feeling in his stomach.

Brass walked into the room and looked around for an absent Sara. "She get lost?"

"Bathroom." Nick rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Women." Brass snipped and shook his head.

"Yeah, their favorite room in the house." He responded feeling better than earlier.

"I made you some soup. Maybe you should try some water first though?" Brass presented Nick with a bottle of cool water.

"Good idea." He took a sip of the water and hoped that it would stay down, he could imagine being carted off to the hospital again for an IV.

Sara took that moment to walk back into the room, "Hey Brass. Nice bathroom." she commented.

"Glad it pleased you." he smiled and looked over at Nick who was grinning at the comment. "I'm going to check on my soup before it burns. He let out a small laugh and exited the room.

"What was that about?", she asked confused with their behavior.

"Bathroom humor." He snorted as she looked at him with a confused look.

"Nick, up for a game of cards?" She asked pulling out a deck of go fish cards.

"Hmmm strip poker?" He asked amusingly, acting more like himself.

"You wish. I was thinking more like go fish." She smiled and sat down beside of his bed.

He attempted to sit up but the pain in his side stopped that movement instantly. Quickly changing his mood back to irritable. 'Dammit, why did he have to be so stupid and allow that crazy nut case to push him out a window.' He would not allow Crane to rule his actions so He continue to push up even with the pain.

"Hey, stop that. We can play later." She held up her hand and stopped his movements.

"I'm fine Sara." He pushed forward until he was sitting up on the side of the bed. "Better." He was panting but he was finally sitting up.

"You are so stubborn Nick Stokes." Sara had her arms across her chest giving him a blank, irritated stare.

"Let's play cards." His grimace was replaced with a small grin, though he did not know how long he could sit up with the pain in his side.

"Only if you take one of these." She picked his pain medicine up off the table and pulled out a pill.

"Is that the only way you can win Sara Sidle?" He teased but she was still giving him her blank look that meant she was serious.

He held out his hand and took the pill and popped it in his mouth followed by a large drink of water. He then opened his mouth to prove that the pill was gone, "All gone." All he could feel was the pillow as it hit his head.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass was preparing the soup for Nick when he heard a knock on the door , he went to answer it, seeing Warrick standing outside.

"Hey, come on in." He opened the glass door and allowed Warrick to enter.

Nick and Sara are in the guest room, I was getting ready to take Nick some soup." He continued to prepare the soup in the bowl. He pointed down the hallway, "Just follow the sounds of Nick's moans from losing to Sara."

"What is she doing to him? Sounds as if she is beating him up." Warrick laughed at the sounds emminating from the hallway. He raised his eyebrows and walked towards the noise.

"Nick, what's going on?", he asked as he came to the bedroom door and saw Sara doing a victory dance.

"She's beating me at go fish man. She has to be cheating because nobody can win ten games in a row." Nick looked tired but he was enjoying Sara's company.

"I don't think you can cheat at that game. Sounds like you're a sore loser Stokes." Shaking his head at Sara who was still enjoying her wins.

" Yes Nick you are a sore loser." she paused and a bright smile covered her face. "Wanna play again?" She asked eagerly, loving that she was beating Nick at cards.

"She drugged me Rick. She doesn't play fair." Nick smiled and gave her a sweet look.

Sara reached down and gathered the cards, "Come on Warrick, three is better than two any day."

Both men looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"Okay boys, cards only." She knew that these two together would be a hand full. They were like the best of friends and she could not help feel a little jealous of their close friendship.

"Let's play." Warrick looked around and found another chair and pulled it around to where Nick was sitting.

"Okay, deal them." Warrick's enthusiasm was not lost on the other two.

Brass took that moment to enter with Nick's soup. "Lunch is served." He seemed happy to be helping out their friend.

Nick looked up and could only remember the vomiting episode from earlier that day. No matter how much he hated to eat he really appreciated what Brass was doing and he looked over to Sara,"Deal me out this time."

Sara nodded and continued to deal the cards, "Brass you want to play?"

"Better not, I need to keep my self respect." He grinned as he sat the soup in front of Nick.

"She is fierce." Nick responded to the comment as he picked up his spoon and took a small sip.

"Nick, eat your soup. I am on a roll." She finished dealing and looked at Warrick, "Give me your all your sevens."

Warrick placed two sevens on the table shaking his head, "She is wicked."

"Told you." Nick looked up at Warrick as he took another sip of the soup. The soup was simple enough for his stomach to tolerate but for some reason he knew he might not be able to keep it down.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Warrick and Sara entered the kitchen and looked at Brass who had prepared them some lunch.

"How did he do?" Brass asked hoping that Nick had kept the soup down.

"He was exhausted, we tucked him in but he ate about half." Warrick answered carrying the half eaten bowl of soup over to the sink.

"Sit, I prepared you guys some lunch." He opened the refrigerator and took out a couple of cold beers.

"Thanks man." Warrick took the beers and pulled out a chair, handing Sara her beer and sitting down.

"Yeah, this is nice. Thanks." she followed and sat down beside Warrick giving him a small I beat you at cards grin.

"Nick was right, I think you cheat." ,he teased as he returned his attention to the food before him.

"Sore losers." She teased back and hit him on the arm.

They sit in silence for several minutes enjoying the food and beer when they heard something fall.

Quickly they all responded and found Nick sitting in the floor.

"Nick!" Warrick shouted as he went to his friend's side.

"I am going to throw up, get me to the bathroom." He panted out in short breaths.

Warrick and Brass took a side and lifted him onto his feet, assisting him into the bathroom. He puked for several minutes, all the soup came up, dry heaves took over afterwards, Nick clutched his side and moaned in pain.

Sara wet a washcloth and held it to his feverish head. "He's running a fever guys."

"Looks like he just earned another trip to the hospital." Brass muttered to himself as he watched Sara and Warrick take care of their friend.

"I am fine." He responded to their menstruations.

"Nick, you are not fine and we are going to take you to the hospital." Sara picked up the washcloth that had already fallen to the floor and placed it under the cool water again.

"Don't argue man, it's three against one. We win." Warrick helped Nick up and walked him back into the bedroom and gathered his shoes and continued to walk him out the door to his SUV.

Brass and Warrick assisted him into the backseat and Sara jumped in beside him.

"Somebody help me, I'm being held against my will." His weak attempt at humor failing as he continued to dry heave, Sara placing the cool cloth to his sweaty forehead and holding it there as he leaned down into her arms.

"I'll meet you at Desert Palm, I need to take care of a few things. I'll call Grissom and Catherine too." Brass was worried about his friend.

Warrick nodded, a look of concern etched on his face.

Brass stepped back and allowed Warrick to pull out of the driveway. 'What else could happen to Nick Stokes?' he thought to himself as he entered his house.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Feedback helps the writer!


	3. Chapter 3

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Warrick's SUV pulled into the emergency room bay , jerking the vehicle to a sudden stop, Sara had to hold on to Nick, who was now asleep in her arms. The warmth of his skin noted through his shirt, sweat dripping from his face.

"How's he doing Sara?" Warrick asked as he unbuckled his seat belt and turned around in the seat.

"He is burning up, but he quit dry heaving." She was taking the now warm cloth and wiping the sweat from his face.

Warrick turned back around and exited the vehicle and ran inside. He exited quickly with the doctor who had seen him the day before, concern plastered her face as she opened the door and peered down at her patient.

"How many times has he vomited?" Her assessment started as she started placing a stethoscope on his chest and feeling his stomach.

"Maybe twice today. He couldn't keep down his breakfast or his lunch." Continuing to administer soft strokes to his forehead with the cloth and holding him tightly as to let him go could mean dire consequences for her best friend.

The doctor nodded and turned around to see two techs bringing out a gurney. "Let's get him inside," The doctor ordered,as she assisted the two men in getting Nick out of the SUV.

The gurney rushed into the emergency room with Sara in tow leaving Warrick behind to move his vehicle from the ambulance delivery area.

The doctor was now in control and in high protective mode of her sick patient whom she had discharged thinking that he would hurt but not get this ill.

"I need a full trauma pack on Mr Stokes now, IV started with Normal Saline wide open for two liters and I need some stat vitals, especially his temperature and blood pressure." She placed her stethoscope again on his chest and auscultated his breath sounds in each lung field, noting some congestion but that would be normal given the broken ribs and his inability to take some good breaths, she would get a chest xray to check for pneumonia. Her hands went to his abdomen and felt for distention noting that there was some firmness in all four quadrants.

As her hands checked his belly he groaned as if he was in pain. She made a mental note and then started ordering more tests," Let's also get chest xray and abdominal series." She paused and looked at the paleness of his fingernail beds, she also pulled back his gums and noted that his gum line was also pale."Get a drug screen panel and hurry up with that Hematocrit and Hemoglobin, I need to know his blood counts now."

The doctor walked over to the phone and picked it up, " I need a surgical consult now. If Dr Grayson is available I would love him to see my patient." Her voice was nervous, she felt some responsibility for not checking him out for an abdominal bleed.

The trauma team had hooked her patient up to several monitors and the first thing that got her attention when she turned around was the blood pressure reading, 86/48, his pulse was rapid at 110/min and his respirations were shallow and his oxygen saturation was on the lower side at 90 percent. Her patient was in trouble.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catherine arrived at the emergency room with Grissom, immediately they saw Sara and Warrick sitting in the waiting room area.

"How's he doing?" Catherine's voice was low and nervous.

"The doctor has not come out yet but it should be soon. Nick's been in there for a while now." Sara was nervous for her friend. They had allowed her to stay with him until he started having problems with his blood pressure and they were ordering some medications to assist in getting his pressure back up. They had mentioned getting a surgeon to check him for an abdominal bleed. They had quickly relegated her to the emergency room waiting area with Warrick.

Catherine and Grissom both took a seat to await news. It was not long before the familiar face appeared in front of them for the second time in two days.

"Hey, sorry it took so long. I need to ask for Mr Stokes next of kin, we need a permission slip signed for an exploratory laparotomy. He is having some internal bleeding but we are not for sure it was connected to the fall." The doctor was checking her beeper to see if the operating room had become available and looking rather upset that they had not paged her yet.

"I am his next of kin, more like his power of attorney." Warrick spoke up. The frustration of being the one to make this decision for his friend evidently causing much stress.

"Follow me, we need to get going. He is really having a difficult time I am sure you know." She turned and motioned for Warrick to follow her into the area where Nick was being treated.

Nick was now getting not only intravenous fluids but also blood and antibiotics. His skin was pale and his breathing was being assisted with a bipap machine which assisted his breathing.

"He looks bad." The comment so simple compared to what his friend actually looked like at the moment.

"We are thinking that he may have a small laceration to his liver but we will have to go in and actually see what the damage is with the surgery. He seems to have lost a fair amount of blood but it is in his gut and not in his stomach, you would have seen it in the emesis." She was busy talking and pulling the papers together that needed to be signed.

Warrick was on the verge of tears but he needed to ask the question, "Is he going to be okay?"

"She stopped her motions and looked at the frightened man,"We are going to do our best. He has the best surgeon and surgical team to work on his problem." She bit her lip and looked sympathetic to his pain. "The best thing you and your friends can do for him now is pray."

Warrick nodded and looked down at the papers and signed his signature, hoping that he was making the correct decision for Nick. He had already failed him once, he hoped that he would not do that again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass entered the emergency room area and quickly saw the team, Nick's second family sitting together, their concern evidenced by their quiet demeanors. He knew without spoken words that Nicky was in trouble again, what more could he go through?

"How is he Gil?" he asked as he sat down next to Grissom.

"We are waitng for an answer ourselves. He has an internal bleed. They took him to surgery." Grissom rubbed at his eyes, definitely looking as he was getting one of his migraines.

"Damn, that boy needs a break." He spoke it out loud, maybe because he felt that if he said it loud enough then God would hear him.

Warrick was pacing the floor, his own world of grief and worry was connected to guilt, allowing Nick to go into the unsecured building, taking a phone call instead of protecting his friend.

Sara and Catherine were sitting quietly, pretending to look at a magazine, their worry also evident in the fact of their silence.

A man clothed in blue scrubs came out into the waiting room area."I'm looking for Mr Warrick, power of Attorney for a Nicholas Stokes." His facial expression was like a good poker player, he was not giving away his hand.

"I'm he." Warrick spoke up from his deep thoughts.

"My name is Dr Grayson, I am the surgeon for Mr Stokes. Can I talk to you in private."

Warrick waved his arm out to the others, "We are like Nick's second family. You can tell us all. It's good." Warrick's voice cracking at the stress of hearing what was going on with his friend.

He nodded in agreement and sat down so he could explain what was going on with Nick. "Listen I am aware that Mr Stokes fell out of a two-story window yesterday but I do not think that is what caused the laceration to his liver. I am more inclined to think that this happened later."

Brass remembering that Nick was in an altercation with Crane in his home and spoke up,"He had an altercation with the man again last night. He was attacked again in his home by the same man, they were fighting over a gun when I entered."

"That actually makes more sense, his cracked ribs are low and could have lacerated the liver at that point." The doctor seeming to connect some dots from this piece of information.

"How is he Dr Grayson." An anxious Sara asked, now standing with her arms crossed, a defensive mechanism to shield her from any bad news.

"Actually he is stable at this point, we stopped the bleeding and stabilized the ribs at the same time, I was thinking that the ribs could have done the damage. He lost a lot of blood into his abdomen but we are replacing it as I speak. His vitals looks stronger but he has a ways to go.Also he still has a fever, it is probably from a secondary infection but we are giving him antibiotics. He has evidently been through a lot and I think he is in for a long recovery period, both mentally and physically. He will have to have some down time"

"That is not a problem. We will make sure he is taking care of himself." Warrick responded to the good news.

" I need to go back and check on him, get him into a surgical step-down room so you guys can visit him later." He stood and headed back to the surgery area.

Relief is all they could feel, each feeling some level of guilt for their friend.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He could hear the familiar machines, the beeps and buzzing. He knew immediately something was different, awww shit, his abdomen was on fire and he wanted to open his eyes and see what the hell had branded him in his gut. Pushing his eyes open through the sticky matter he could barely see the outline of a person standing above him. The movements of him trying to raise up set off alarms and strong arms were pushing him back down.

"Mr Stokes, you just had surgery. You need to lie still." the sweet southern voice was telling him to lie down and all he wanted to do was get the hell out of wherever he was and go home.

"Enough!" his voice sounded different, weaker and gravely. His throat hurt and he still could not feel anything but nauseated, what had happened in his sleep.

After a minute or so he was able to focus better and he was getting a lot of attention from all around him, holding him still so that he didn't pull out the tubes.

"If you can't lie still Mr Stokes we will have to apply some wrist restraints to help remind you to lie still, you have too many delicate lines right now and we can not allow you to pull them out."This was a male voice and it got through the thick fog in his brain.

"Sorry, I'm okay, I'm okay now." He felt shaky and he hurt all over but his abdomen was definitely hurting the worse.

"You need something for pain?' the voice above him asked.

"Yeah, please. Please." if begging would get him free of the pain then he would take it and hope that he would not throw it up. Surgery, did the voice who wanted to give him relief say something about surgery. What the hell, he tried to see what was happening but he quickly felt the warmth of the drug that was pulling him back under. He allowed it , he would get his answers later.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay the writer needs some warm fuzzies...please let me know how I am doing.


	4. Chapter 4

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Grissom and Catherine were walking down the hallway following Sara and Warrick to Nick's room when Grissom's cellphone rang. He quickly retrieved it from his belt and answered so as to not disturb other patients.

"Grissom." He came across a little perturbed that he was having a call at the moment.

"Archie, listen I have been watching the rest of the tapes and I think I found something." Excited to be able to help his friend Nick and to also help in the investigation.

"We already have Nigel Crane in custody." Grissom responded rather flatly.

""No, there is something else you need to see. I think we may have another player in this sick game." Archie stopped to allow Grissom to answer.

"What are you talking about Archie?" Grissom's movements down the hallway stopped and the rest of the team stopped with him, hearing his frustration over the phone.

"It looks as if Crane had an accomplice, someone who had access to the newsletter. Crane makes mention of him in a tape. He called him his special helper, which is different than what he called Nick which was his friend." Archie continued to observe the antics of the insane man on tape as he talked.

Grissom's mind could not wrap around this, he had told Nick it was not about him, but what if it were all about him. "I'll be right there."

"Something else, he had taped Nick the same way he had taped Jane Galloway." Embarrassed that he had seen so much of Nick's private life on screen.

"Don't allow anybody else access to those tapes, I'll be there as soon as I'm finished here." He motioned the rest of the team ahead and waved Brass over to him.

"What is it Gil?" Brass asked worried that something else had happened with Nick's stalker.

"I need you to talk to Crane." Grissom's voice low as not to draw attention to his conversation.

"You got to be kidding, the man can only say six words. I am one, who am I." Brass looked over his shoulder watching as Sara, Warrick and Catherine entered Nick's room, thinking that the kid go not handle much more. "Okay, maybe I can use the attic of the justice building to make him feel more comfortable, maybe offer him some of my clothing, who wouldn't want to be me?"

"Whatever you have to do just do it, I need to know if he had an accomplice, it could mean Nick's life." His tone of voice serious as he glanced over his shoulder and wondered if Nick could be safe wherever he was located.

"I'll put an officer at the door, tell Nick I'll see him later." Brass turned and headed down the hallway.

Grissom walked towards Nick's room where he heard a very distraught Nick arguing with Warrick.

"I had surgery? What the hell man. I go to sleep for a few minutes and wake up with a hole in my gut." His voice was as loud as a sore throat would allow and he was trying to sit up in bed.

"Listen Nick, Warrick saved your life." Sara interrupted, "You're not thinking very well right now."

"You need to calm down before you pull out your stitches." Catherine was trying to calm Nick with a soothing hand to his forehead.

"You don't get it." Nick finally lay down and gave into the crowd around him, frustrated that again his life felt out of his control.

"What don't we get man, that we care about you, that we all have been through hell in the past couple of days. I give man." Warrick threw his hands up in the air and walked out of the room, bumping into Grissom's shoulder as he exited the room.

Catherine removed her hand and gave Nick a small smile and then followed Warrick out of the room.

Sara gave Nick a very disappointed look and pulled up a seat and sat down, Grissom came around and stood near the window, taking in the very agitated Nick Stokes, something he had never really observed of the young man except at a crime scene and even then he was in control. This was different and he almost had immediate understanding, Nick's privacy had been violated, he felt out of control of his own life.

Nick turned his head in frustration, he had tubes and drains coming out of everywhere, 'I guess someone recorded this moment in my crappy life too.', he thought to his groggy self. Why did his life feel like it was no longer his to direct.

"I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry." He looked over at Sara who seemed to melt at his words, she was worried and he knew that his friends always had his best interests in mind, "That was so stupid, I just can't ." he ended his sentence abruptly knowing that he was about to admit his true feelings in front of his friend and his boss, something that he had done once but had decided to never to do again. He attempted to move but was stopped by the pain in his gut. 'Damn." he thought to himself.

The room was filled with silence for several minutes as both Sara and Grissom watched their friend, who was not only in physical pain but also emotional pain. Nigel Crane had taken away something more precious than Nick's clothes, he had taken away his peace of mind, his security.

The nurse entered, bringing him something to assist his pain. Grissom and Sara took that moment to step out.

"Were those your friends?" The older nurse asked as she swabbed the IV port to inject his pain medication.

"You might call them that, they just have a habit of walking out." he soke mostly to himself, remembering when he had expressed his feelings in the lock up room, how they had just walked out.He rolled his eyes and stared towards the door as the nurse injected the medication. The pain in his stomach was nothing compared to the pain he was feeling inside.

Grissom and Sara stood outside the room waiting for the nurse to finish. Both feeling helpless to assist a man in so much pain.

"Listen I need to run back to the lab, you stay with Nick. I'll be back in a while." Grissom had already started to walk down the hallway.

Sara looked at Grissom with suspicion, "What?"

Grissom turned around and answered,"Crane may have had help. I need to go and talk to Archie." He turned and continued walking down the hallway leaving a very stunned Sara behind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'This guy is a nut case, how in the hell am I going to get him to talk?.' He thought to himself as he entered the room where Crane was being held. They had taken Nick's clothes as evidence and now the little man was dressed in an orange jumpsuit.

Brass placed Nick's folder on the desk and sat down at the table, the officers standing at the door, Crane sitting on the edge of his chair still repeating his mantra.

"I am one, Who am I?" Now Crane was sitting rocking back and forth as if he were a child who was trying to comfort himself.

"Listen, I am one you don't want to piss off so I want some answers and I want you to give them to me. Did you have someone to help you?" Brass leaned forward hoping to intimidate the man who was sitting staring into oblivion. He picked up the newsletter with Nick's picture and shoved it over directly in front of Crane's face, "Did you have help Mr Crane? Because for some reason I don't think you are smart enough to plan this all by yourself?"

"I am one, who am I?" Crane continued his mantra over and over again.

"Listen you little sick son of a bitch, I need some answers and I want you to give them to me or I will lock your sorry ass up." Brass had enough of the sick little mans antics.

Crane looked up at Brass and stared, "I am one, Who am I?"

Brass stood to leave, seeing that he was getting nowhere quick with the crazy man before him, when he thought he heard something different,he turned and looked a now smiling Crane starring down at the newsletter.

"You said Nick would be my friend." Nigel Crane's voice was low, more like he was talking to himself.

"Who said it Nigel, who told you such a sick lie?" Brass leaned over and was now in his face.

"I can't tell,he'll get mad." He clasped his hands together and started rocking again. Repeating his mantra again, "I am one, who am I?"

"Get him to lock up." Brass was upset, someone was playing a game, a game of life and death with his friend.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom walked into the lab, he had had enough of Nigel Crane and his control over Nick's life. As he entered Archie's area the first thing he saw was Nick's sleeping form on screen, he was mumbling something in his sleep. As he sat down he noticed that Nick was talking in his sleep, he was talking about Catherine. He shook his head, the boy takes his work home with him, he thought to himself.

Archie turned and looked at Grissom and gave him a look of concern, "I've been going over these tapes and I am getting the impression that Crane was just a pawn."

"What are you saying Archie?" Grissom was still watching the screen.

"Watch this." he flipped out the current tape and placed in another but this time it was Crane talking again.

"I have a special friend, he helps me to gather things. He helps me to get my friends. He is my helper." He pauses for a few seconds, he seems more nervous when he speaks of this person,"My friend Nick knows him, ask him, ask Nick." Then the tape ends.

"Does he mention this anymore?" Grissom asks as he starts looking through the tapes.

"I have been through the majority of the tapes but there is still a lot of them, but so far that is the only mention of the special friend." Archie picked up the tape he had been watching earlier and popped it back into the video player.

Grissom stood and started walking out the door, "Call me if there is anything else, I need to go back to the hospital and talk to Nick."

"Will do." Archie replied as he watched Nick continue to toss and turn in his sleep, continuing to mention Catherine's name.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Warrick and Catherine sat in the cafeteria having a cup of coffee, there concern evident.

"I was just trying to help him Catherine, why did that make him so angry?" Warrick held his hand to his head trying to rub away a headache that had developed from lack of sleep and guilt.

"Listen, Nick has been through a lot in a short amount of time. He is just venting that onto you right now. It is probably because he is afraid." Reaching over and trying to give him comfort with a hand to his shoulder.

Warrick nodded and looked up into her blue eyes and smiled a small smile, "I know Nick, he is too stubborn to admit that he wants help or even needs help. That Texan can just make me so mad and yet he is my best friend."

She nodded, "I know, Nick needs you right now, he just doesn't know how to express that, so he comes across angry. We both know he is angry at the situation, not you."

"Yeah, you're right. We need to go back up and check on him." Warrick pushed himself away from the small table and stood," Are you coming?"

Catherine nodded and stood, both leaving their hot cups of coffee behind on the table. Both unaware that they were being watched.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


	5. Chapter 5

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Sara walked in after the nurse left and took a seat, Nick was trying not to notice her but she was going to get his attention even if she had to poke him in his sore rib.

"Nick, I know your are hurting right now but Warrick really cares about you. He's like your brother." She reached over with her hand and took his into her own, then smiled.

"You trying to flirt with a drugged man Sara Sidle?" His voice groggy from the pain medication.

He seemed to be in a better mood, must have been good drugs she thought to herself."The drugs are really affecting you Nick, what did they give you, an hallucinogen?"

"Better. I think I am seeing sunshine on a rainy day." He winked at her and closed his eyes.

"We'll talk later Nick, go ahead and sleep. You need it." She leaned over and gave him a small kiss on the cheek then stood to walk over to a lighted area to read her book.

Nick quickly dozed off, soon to be awakened by his nurse about thirty minutes later.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Catherine and Warrick actually entered expecting another confrontation from Nick but this time was different,Nick was sitting up in a chair with Sara laughing hysterically at her friend.

"Are we interrupting here?" Catherine asked as she made her way into the room.

Warrick could not help but to smile at his friend, who obviously was in a better mood."Oh man, that looks fun."

"When I get out of here guys I am going to make you all pay." Nick smiled at his friends.

"What is that thing?" Warrick asked.

"This is my incentive spirometer. I have to make it go up to here I believe that is what my nurse instructed." Pointing at the top number of the plastic device.

"But Nick can't get it past the first number here because his incision and ribs hurt too much so the nurse is going to find Nick a girdle." She cracked up laughing, trying to cover her mouth with her hand.

"It's not a girdle Sara, it is an abdominal binder." He took that moment to grimace at the pain the laughing had caused but he waved it off, it felt good to laugh again.

"I'm sure I have a girdle at home if you want to borrow mine." Catherine teased.

"Nooooo, I'm fine." He blushed at the thought.

"Nicky, I just want a picture for my locker." Warrick decided to get in on the fun.

"I don't want to make all your girlfriends jealous." He smiled and gave Warrick an apologetic look. He really did appreciate what Warrick had done for him.

Words weren't necessary Warrick just understood." Yeah, they just might get jealous Nicky,yeah in your dreams."

"Yeah, you know how they hate Warrick." Nicky put the device down and leaned back in the chair. It actually felt good to have his friends there again.

"Listen, I have to get back to work or Grissom might fire me, he didn't hire me to babysit." Sara reached down and picked up her jacket and headed for the door. "Hey, I'll bring my cards next time Nick." Wiggling her eyebrows at him, teasingly.

He looked up with a pained expression remembering the beating she had given him the day before, and shook his head,"That's okay Sara,I'm too weak to play."

" Right. Sore loser." She smirked as she exited the room.

"She'll bring them anyways, she knows that she can beat us." Warrick quipped at he took Sara's vacated seat.

"Maybe we can get the officer at the door to do a search and seizure when she comes back." Nick laughed as he protected the sore abdominal incision and ribs."Oww, that smarts."

"Hey, I am glad you are feeling better." Catherine chimed in seeing that the mood had changed and Nick seemed to be feeling better, or at least he was putting on a great front.

"Yeah. Yeah" He actually felt like hell but he had to move past this and remember a few lessons, one of which was,don't allow them to know how you really feel. "Where's Grissom?"

"I think he went back to the lab, I am not really for sure Nick." Warrick was taking in how pale his friend was and how he seemed to be trying really hard not to show them how much pain he was actually experiencing.

Grissom took that moment to walk in, he looked at Nick as if he were observing a bug under a telescope. "Nick, I need to talk to you." His voice serious. "Catherine and Warrick,I need you to stay." He turned and closed the door behind him.

"What is this about Gil?" Catherine taking on a more mothering attitude, she did not want to undo Nick's good mood.

"This is important Catherine." He gave her an apologetic look and focused his attention back on Nick.

" I wouldn't bother you Nick but I need to ask you a question." He came over and stood by Warrick's chair.

"Crane may have had an accomplice." He watched as he saw his CSI lean his head back and take a deep breath, a look of concern crossed his face.

"It may be nothing but I have to ask, has anybody threatened you recently ?" Grissom was now walking nervously back and forth, taking his glasses off and rubbing at his eyes.

"No, not recently." The conversation starting to wear him out already, didn't he decide to move past this man by getting out of the bed and doing what the nurse had instructed.

Nurse Karie had told him to sit up, surgical patient's do better if they get up quicker and he did what she told him, moved out the bed, bent at the middle and sat down in the hard chair and plastered the false bravado on and still here he was having to deal with Crane again. He just wanted to let it go, whatever the nut case did was done and now he just wanted to move on with his life.

"Have you gotten any mail that would be considered threatening? Maybe from an old girlfriend or even someone from your home town?" Grissom had replaced his glasses and was now starring at the pale form sitting in the chair,his facial expression intense.

"No. I haven't had any problems. Listen, this guy installed my cable and I made the mistake of being stupid by starting up a conversation with him, which landed me here in the hospital." He paused and grimaced." "Twice." His voice showing his frustration with the questioning and the pain in his gut.

Warrick, who had been more of an observer and listener up to this point decided to ask the right question,"Nicky, who told you about Luna Cable?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass was walking down the hallway,after giving the information about the interview to Gill over the phone earlier, he decided to visit the person who had passed the newsletter about Nick around the lab and station.

"Hey Gregg, how you doing?" Brass spoke loud due to the fact that the tech was listening to Led Zeppelin with high intensity, he reached over and cut down the music volume, halting Gregg's dancing movements, or at least that is what he thought they were, he really wasn't for sure,he hadn't really seen anything like it before.

Gregg's attention was quickly redirected to the official before him,"Sorry sir." Reaching over and quickly turning off the CD player.

"It's okay Gregg, actually I like Zeppelin but am more of a Marilyn Manson fan myself, people say we look alike." Brass was trying to keep the young lab tech's attention with casual conversation.

Gregg nodded and felt like vomiting at the same time, the older men did make him nervous, almost as nervous as Grissom made him.

"Listen, Nicky had a bit of a rumble with his cable installer, do you know anything about it?" His eyes wandering around the sterile lab seeing nothing that made him think Gregg could have anything to do with Nigel Crane.

"Nick okay?" He asked, this was the first time he had heard anything about his friend Nick.

"He's been better, I just can't recall when right now." He reached over and turned the music back on, "He's at Desert Palms Hospital." He walked back over to the glass door,"I'm sure Nick would love to see you." Brass continued out the door and down the hallway.

Gregg flipped the music back off, distraught over Nick getting hurt,feeling bad about the practical joke he had pulled off with the fliers.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom had a new reason to move swiftly to the criminal justice department, the name Steve Karrigan emblazoned into his memory. A casual friend of Nick's who just happened to live in the same apartment complex as Nigel Crane. He needed a search warrant.

"Do you think this guy set up Nick?" Warrick asked as he followed Grissom to his car in the hospital parking deck.

Grissom stopped at his car and turned around. "I don't know Warrick, but what I do know is that Crane is not smart enough to accomplish what he did all by himself. He even admitted to Brass that he had a special helper,someone who gave him references. I just want to talk to Mr Karrigan."

Reaching down to open his car door he noticed something strange,his motions stopped and he motioned for Warrick not to move or make a sound.

He pointed down at the trigger attached to his door handle, something that could have been missed easily but the hesitation of speaking to Warrick had been enough for him to observe it.

They both backed away, careful not to make a sudden movement or create a large sound.

After they reached the stairway, Grissom pulled out his phone to call for the bomb squad.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Okay guys I love your feedback, it is my daughter's prom night and I was going to wait until tomorrow to post but your feedback pushed me so here it is!

For those reading In God Hands...I have not abandoned it...I just wanted to do this first and then back to work!

Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

"Brass is on his way over to Karrigan's house with a team of officers." Grissom was observing the chaotic scene before him; the bomb squad had evacuated the parking deck and even the hospital was in the process of being evacuated.

"What do you think this is about, what could Karrigan have against you?" Warrick was trying to piece it together in his mind.

Grissom was in deep thought, why would Karrigan place a bomb in his car when his entire focus had been on Nick for the past three weeks. His thoughts were interrupted by a member of the bomb squad who walked up at that moment.

"Are you Gil Grissom?" the man asked as he held out a small metal piece in his hand.

Grissom nodded as he starred at what looked looked like the trigger to the device."Is that part of the bomb?"

"It wasn't a bomb." The man handed the piece to Warrick who had reached out his gloved hand.

"Then what was it?" Warrick asked as he examined the metal piece.

Grissom had sudden understanding, " A distraction." Grissom then turned and headed back into the hospital. Pulling his cellphone from his belt to call Catherine a warning that Karrigan might be in the hospital. A message came across taht hte caller was not available, to leave a message, it was all he could for for the moment.

Warrick following Grissom's hurried movements, understanding suddenly that Nick and Catherine were in danger.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catherine watched as the nurse changed the blood stained dressing on Nick's abdomen, the grimace on Nick's face proof that it was causing him a great deal of discomfort. His hands tightly gripping the sheet.

She then placed the abdominal binder in place so that her patient could take deeper breaths and be able to move about with more comfort. "How does that feel?" She asked as she finished her task, knowing that she needed to hurry since the code yellow had been announced and she knew her patient had to be evacuated.

"Like I'm being squeezed into a girdle."He frowned at the new discomfort. He tried to take a deep breath but still found it difficult.

Catherine felt nervous but could not understand why she felt that way. She attempted to reach Grissom again on his cell, she wanted to see if he and Warrick had visited with Karrigan yet but her signal was blocked, the monitors playing havok with the signal.. The officer outside the door had been relegated to keeping people from panicking in the hallway, visitors were upset that their family members were being moved.

She hung up the phone again in frustration and looked over at Nick who was getting another bag of fluid hung and looking very tired.

"When will they be moving him?" Catherine asked as she started towards the door to look out into the hallway, hoping to see Warrick and Grissom returning.

The nurse turned to leave."Should be soon, our unit is next to start moving the more critical patients."

Catherine nodded but suddenly as she placed her hand on the door handle it slammed open knocking her to the floor, a very angry man entered, pulling out a gun and pointing it at the nurse and Nick.

"I need him in a wheelchair and I need you to do it now." The angry man reached back out into the hallway to retrieve the wheelchair he had confiscated.

The door had momentarily stunned Catherine as it made contact with her head and as she reached for her gun she felt a strong hand take it from her holster. Too stunned from the blow to her head to speak or react to the situation. Her hand reaching up automatically feeling the flood ooze from the laceration to her forehead.

Nick had immediate recognition of the man he had met just a couple months earlier at the gym. He had introduced himself as a new cop that had moved there from Texas. He had told Nick that Vegas was definitely different from the rural town he had come from and Nick had understood immediately. They had a few drinks together after work and talked about their interests, mostly football and basketball.

He looked over to Catherine and attempted to get up but the gunman stopped his movements with the gun now pointed at the nurse.

"I will shoot her if you do not do what I say. This can be easy or it can be bloody, it is your choice Nick Stokes." Karrigan pushed the gun against the nurse's head and waited for Nick to comply with his demands.

Nick held up his hands to show that he was not going to try anything, keeping the killer calm his only thought, he knew what he was capable of doing. He had assited Crane somehow in getting to Jane Galloway.

"That is better." He pushed the nurse forward towards Nick, "Get him in the chair and hurry." Karrigan demanded as he changed his focus to Catherine who seemed to more alert now and was trying to push herself up from the floor.

"He is hurt too bad to be moved, you could kill him." She needed to get the killer's attention.

"That is okay Catherine, my intention anyways." he laughed at the comment.

He knew her name, probably from the tapes, he then motioned for her to enter the bathroom, which had no windows.

Slowly she got herself to a standing position, balancing herself with the wall, a wave of dizziness almost sending her back to the floor but she managed to stay upright and do what the killer told her to do. Trying to not make any more problems for Nick.

Nick's nurse had disconnected Nick's tubes and assisted him into the wheelchair, giving him a look of sympathy, fear plastered on her face.

Nick nodded at her and whispered, "It's okay, just do what he directs you to do, I don't think he wants to hurt you."

The nurse moved back after she had done what the man had demanded that she do to her patient,"I'm done."

Again the man motioned for the nurse to enter the bathroom with Catherine. "Move!" Rushing the frightened nurse's movements.

"You won't get away with this you know, there are police everywhere." Catherine was trying to delay the man from taking Nick from the room, hoping that the officer would return.

"They are busy right now." He looked over at Nick and smiled. "We have some catching up to do, don't we Nick."

A look of confusion crossed Nick's face, the statement made him feel that he had missed something with this guy but what could it be?

Suddenly the door to the bathroom slammed closed bringing Nick out of his thoughts seeing that Karrigan was placing a chair against the door then wedging it under the door handle to block the door from being opened.

He placed his gun under his jacket and grabbed hold of the handles of the wheelchair and started out of the door, he bent down and whispered into Nick's ear,"You do anything stupid and people will die."

Nick nodded in understanding as they started moving down the busy hallway, the movement away from the police officer who was now down the opposite hallway directing visitors out of the hallway into emergency stairway exit, the elevators relegated for patient removal only. That is what he would use to get his captive out of the building, his plan was going perfect.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass and a team of officers moved up the stairway to the familiar apartment complex, when Brass reached the door, warrant in hand, he knocked but there was no answer.

"Kick it in!" He commanded his officers who quickly took the door down.

They entered with high intensity, moving from room to room, Brass leading the way. He was stunned at the sights that he was finding as he worked the rooms one by one, "Someone check the attic! He yelled to whoever was closest to the attic entrance. "Karrigan and his friend Crane are like bats, they like to hang out in dark places."

The team members followed the command but found nothing." Clear!" was being called from all directions as Brass pulled out his cell.

"Grissom." He answered as he was attempting to move through the panicked staff and visitors and up the crowded stairway.

"Brass. Listen Gil, Karrigan is not here but you really need to see this." Looking around at blood spattered walls and noticing the dead dog that lay in the hallway bathroom.

"Jim,I think we got fooled with the bomb, it was a dud. I think that Karrigan is here, at the hospital." his voice panting out the words as he continued to make his way up the stairs, trying to keep out of the outward flow of traffic, Warrick following from behind.

"I'll be right there. I'll get you some back-up." he hung up the connection and called dispatch to relocate more officers to the hospital.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gregg had felt bad about being the one to cause Nick so much trouble. He had never meant to create a problem with his friend. He entered the adjacent garage to the hospital, seeing that the traffic had been rerouted for whatever reason. He walked across the catwalk that connected the hospital to the garage, his mind in overdrive as he was attempting to piece together the pieces that led to his friend getting hurt. When he had talked to Sara, when she arrived back at the lab ,she had told him about Nick's stalker and how Nick was injured twice. He felt bad about the practical joke so he needed to tell Nick that he was sorry.

As he made his way across the catwalk he noticed something odd,it was Nick in a wheelchair being pushed the opposite direction. He was about to say something when Nick gave him a look of panic and a slight hand movement that told him to not approach.

As they passed, Gregg removed his cellphone and made a quick call. Something was not right, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing straight up. Nick was in trouble.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom's cell was ringing again, he picked it up, aggravated at the distraction as he approached Nick's room, but it could be Catherine so he picked it up again.

He looked down at the caller id and answered,"What Gregg?" The frustration evident along with his shortness of breath from the long rushed hike from the garage.

"Listen, Grissom is there any reason for Nick to be leaving the hospital?" He was now facing the back of the person pushing Nick's wheelchair, keeping a good distance so as not to bring attention to himself but close enough not to lose sight of the two men.

"What are you talking about Gregg." Grissom and Warrick were opening the door to Nick's room when they heard screaming from inside.

"Hang on Gregg." Grissom placed the cell into his pocket and he and Warrick pulled their guns.

Warrick kicked the door opened and both men entered to find Nick missing from his bed.

The screams emanating from the bathroom. Warrick quickly opened the door to find the nurse and an injured Catherine.

"Karrigan has Nicky." Catherine's last words right before she blacked out. Both the nurse and Warrick easing her to the floor.

The nurse moved out of Grissom's and Warrick's way quickly, as they attended to their friend,she was in shock from what had occurred in the room but she had dealt with stressed out families before, she knew what to do next. She walked over to the phone and called a code gray to Nick's room, the in-hospital security would soon arrive.

Remembering Gregg's question Grissom reached into his pocket to retrieve the cell and placed it back to his ear,"Gregg. Where are you Gregg?"

Gregg looked around to see if there was an identifying sign but found none, "Somewhere across from the hospital, I am standing on a catwalk near an adjoining garage."

Grissom looked over to Warrick who seemed to be focusing on getting help for Catherine. Her stillness frightening them both.

"What did you see Gregg?" He started moving back towards the door.

" A tall, muscular, caucasion guy is pushing Nick in a wheelchair towards the garage. I am following close behind him now." His voice nervous, he had never been trained to assist in this capacity.

"Don't let him see you Gregg, I don't think this man would hesitate one second to shoot you." Scared for the lab tech's life.

"I'll be careful, but just in case how about some back-up here." Greg realized quickly that he was unarmed, he could not assist in any way but he could only follow the man who had abducted Nick.

Grissom knew Warrick would help Catherine, limp form lying on the bathroom floor. The young nurse attempting to get a stretcher to move her to the still functioning Emergency room.

A security team had arrived and Grissom motioned for them to follow him, he needed to find the adjoining garage, if Karrigan got Nick out of the hospital, it cold be all over for his CSI. He started filling them in on details as they ran down the hallway towards the garage across the street. One of hte officers quickly informing him that there were two garages but Grissom would not endanger Gregg's life by tring to call back, he would find the one witht he catwalk, security telling him that both of the other entrances had catwalks and were across the street..

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara was finishing up her paperwork when her cell rang, she flipped it on and answered,"Sidle."

"Listen, Nick is in trouble, Karrigan got to him. I need you to go to his apartment and start gathering evidence, there is already a team of officers awaiting your arrival,I need as much information on this guy that I can get, understand." Grissom was in a full run to get to Nick in the parking deck.

"I'll get the address from Brass. On it.", Hanging up the phone, not fully understanding all of the facts but she only needed to hear that Nick was in trouble again.

She grabbed her kit and headed for the door, as she dialed Brass's number.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass arrived , a team of officer's awaited his orders. Grissom had just called and told him that Nick was being taken to an adjoining garage but Brass soon learned there were two adjoining garages, calling Gregg could jeopardize him as he followed Karrigan and Nick. He would just have to cover both. He instructed his team to split up, he would go with the team that was going across the street to the parking garage. The other team would go to the adjacent oncology entrance where Grissom and hte security officers were headed.

All Brass could think was that his friend could not take much more, what else could happen to Nick?


	7. Chapter 7

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Somewhere deep inside Nick Stokes was the feeling that he somehow deserved this punishment. Who the hell was this guy and what had he done to make him so angry?

As the angry man pushed him towards the parking garage he felt as if he should have already figured it out, he was a CSI after all, wasn't he?

The pain in his gut and side were enough to keep thoughts of taking off in a dead run at bay. Gregg at least was smart enough to catch his clues and hopefully by now he had notified Grissom that he was in trouble, again. That thought made him sick to his stomach, Nick Stokes always in trouble.

His father had given him the nickname Pancho as a kid, because he was always getting into trouble. His father was Cisco and he was Pancho, the sidekick, together they fought corruption and strove for justice. Pancho always landing in trouble, Cisco always bailing him out. The nickname fit him perfectly.

His thoughts were interrupted when he caught a reflection of Greg in the glass window, he was following them. Now he had to worry about Gregg getting hurt, this man would kill him in a heart beat. He needed to find a distraction.

"You still haven't told me what this is about." His voice still sore from his recent surgery.

"That is because we will have plenty of time for that later. You will get to know me on a more personal level, more than you want to know about me even." The man's flat affect betraying his true self.

That statement alone made him have shivers,"Listen, How did you get Crane involved, he wasn't smart enough to think of this on his own. Are you the brains of the operation?" Hopefully playing on his ego would get him some answers.

"Crane was a little wimp, he was so easy to manipulate. The first time I met him was when I moved into the apartment next door, he seemed so eager to make a friend and I needed someone to assist me with my plan, it was perfect." he laughed at his own ingenious at selecting Crane as his partner to get to Nick.

"You moved here with the intention of getting to me from the very beginning?" Trying to wrap his mind around the thoughts of a crazy man.

"You were the only reason I moved here Nick Stokes. Jane Galloway was actually Crane's idea, someone he had a crush on, she was so oblivious to his sick little mind games, I loved that he lived in his attic, he was so perfect for what I needed to get to you."

"So it was his idea to kill her and pose her like my prom date?" Surely he didn't think of that on his own,he thought to himself.

"Jane had to go, I needed Nigel to focus on you, and she was getting in the way. I told him that she was not good enough for him, that she was cheating on him. Real girlfriends do not cheat on the ones they love. Do they Nick Stokes?" The tone of the conversation changing back to the angry man who had entered the room, the angry man who had hurt Catherine.

That question was directed at him and he felt as if needed to get the answer right. "Sometimes the relationship needs to be mutual, both individuals having the same feelings for each other, wanting the same thing from each other, otherwise it does not work." His voice seemed stronger even to his own ears as he answered hte question.

The movement stopped and Nick felt that it was because of what he said, but suddenly he noticed an older woman standing before him holding the door to the garage open, she looked familiar. His head was still aching from his fall out of the window the day before and the anesthetic was still in his system, blurring his peripheral vision but she was very familiar.

"Hey Nicky, I have missed you so much." The elderly woman starred at him as if he was a long lsot love.

Her voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard , the voice was too familiar. He knew that voice, the voice that he could never forget in a million years, the voice that still haunted his dreams.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gregg's movements came to a quick halt when Nick and his kidnapper stopped, a older woman was holding the door open for the two of them but he could not hear the conversation taking place. Gregg looked around for any clue to where he was at and suddenly he saw it, a sign that said the east wing, level three.

He pulled out his cell phone trying to look casual and leaned back on the window frame glancing down on the chaos below him, the streets blanketed in cops yet nobody close enough to help Nick. He hit the direct number to Grissom's cell hoping that he could reach him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom stood in the oncology parking area looking for any sign of Nick and his assailant when his phone started to vibrate.

"Grissom" he answered eagerly as he recognized Gregg as the caller.

"I found a sign, we are on the East wing, level three. This guy is about to take Nick into the garage but I think he has a helper, she is approximately fifty years old, seems as if she knows Nick. Too old to be an old girlfriend."

"Keep as close as you can without getting spotted, I'll be there in a minute. And Gregg, put your phone on vibrate in case I need to call you back." Grissom closed his phone and motioned for the officers to follow him, again opening his cell to call Brass.

Gregg flipped his phone closed and changed to vibrate. Then flipping it back open and placing the phone back to his ear, pretending he was on a call, keeping his peripheral vision on Nick and the two assailants.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara walked up the stairs towards Karrigan's apartment, walking by Nigel Crane's apartment to his, the proximity of the apartment right next door.

She set her kit down and pulled a pair of gloves out of her jacket, she quickly gloved and entered the now secure area. Pulling out her flashlight she walked around noting blood spatter on several walls, she dropped her kit to the floor gently and opened the case.

She needed to perform a preliminary test on the spatter, took out out a swab and moistened it with the saline then she stood and walked over to the red wine colored spatter on the wall, swabbing a small area then placing phenolphthalein onto the swab, the dark pink appeared, it was blood. She glanced over at the small dog and walked over, closing the swab cap as she continued to look at the small animal lying on the bathroom floor.

She knew that she had to run another test. Was the blood human or animal, though the small animal could not have bled as much blood as there was on the walls, she had to do the test. As she performed the preliminary test it came clear that she was dealing with human blood.

She continued walking through the apartment with her flashlight in hand, walking slowly through the small area she noticed a strong smell, it had to be decomp, but was it the dead pup? She continued to look through closets and underneath cabinets, pulling out a stack of mail she noticed that there was mail for a Steve Karrigan and a Michael Stone. Did Karrigan have a roommate?

She saw one of the officers in the hallway and decided to ask a question on the residency of the apartment. "Officer, who actually is on the lease to this apartment?"

The officer looked down at some papers he had in hand and answered, " A Michael Stone is the primary on the lease but he sublet it out approximately two months ago to a Steve Karrigan."

She nodded her thanks and proceeded to check out the apartment.'Wonder what happened to Mr Stone?' she thought to herself as she continued looking for clues.

Finally she came to the last room on the left, in appearance it would not have gotten her attention but as she started to go through the dresser drawers she noticed that the room belonged to a woman, it had feminine products, underwear, bras and women's clothing.

Her attention was drawn to a picture of a young boy with dark hair and hazel eyes lying in the bottom of the top drawer. Her gloved hand picked it up, the familiar features screaming at her mind, then it suddenly dawned on her, it was a picture of Nick.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Opening her eyes was difficult at first them it became it a little bit easier, Warrick standing over on with a very frightened look on his face,"Hey, where am I?"

"Emergency room, you got hit on the head." Warrick let out a puff of air, relieved that Catherine was now awake and talking.

The moments prior to her passing out rushed back and she tried to sit up, "Did Karrigan get Nicky?"

He held out his arms and stopped her movements, "Grissom and Brass are on it Catherine, they are the best."

She agreed, and nodded her head and lay back down. "Have they figured out the connection of Karrigan to Nick yet?"

"No, but this guy has a lot of anger, his apartment was filled with some disturbing images according to Brass. Sara is there now, hopefully she will find a connection."

"Me too," Catherine agreed, her hand automatically going to the stitches in her forehead.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom felt his phone vibrate and picked it up,"Grissom."

"Gil, I think I found something, it is a picture of Nick, he is probably nine or ten years old. There was a woman living with Karrigan, she had a picture of Nicky in her dresser drawer, it is old and tattered but it is definitely Nick."

"This is not making any sense, why would someone have a picture of Nick when he was a kid?" he pondered the few reasons that anybody would have a young picture of Nick and then continued,"Listen Sara, I am rather busy here, try to get a connection. See if you can get records on Steve Karrigan." He and the in-house security officers were on there way over to the east wing garage to level three.

"Will do." She hung up the phone and called the lab to get records on Steve Karrigan, he was an officer of the law so they should have some basic information, if he gave the correct information.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass had set up his men on the East wing level three garage. He had the woman in his sight , a sniper had set up to get a shot from behind a car directly across from the door. Who was this woman and what was her connection to Karrigan?, Brass thought to himself as he hunkered behind the Ford Taurus. He pulled out his radio," We have an unknown standing at the door, everybody keep on radio silence." He picked up his cellphone and hit Grissom's number.

"Grissom was nearing the door to the stairway of the garage, his gun pulled and the security team following ready to react on his word. His phone vibrated and he pulled it out again,"Grissom."

" Hey it's Jim, listen, we are set up but I have a female unknown holding the garage door open. Is she with Karrigan?"

"I don't know, Gregg called and told me that she is talking to Karrigan and Nick, I assume they are connected but really have no way knowing."

"Hang on Gil." He then picked up his radio and gave the order "Female unknown is talking to Karrigan, hold fire unless further instructed."

"Do we have anything on Karrigan, his connection to Nick or to this woman?" Brass asked hoping that Sara had come up with something.

"Nothing yet. Sara is working on it." Grissom motioning for his team of officers to get down out of sight as they reached the door, with a small paned glass.

"I'll talk to you in a few minutes." Grissom hung up the phone, making the decision to join Brass and his men.

"Cover me." he told the in -house officers, who felt out of place doing real police work but they had been trained to act in any emergency so they pulled their guns and watched as Grissom made his move.

Grissom slipped through the door and followed the voices across the garage, the rest of the security team staying behind the door.

He pulled out his cell again and pressed Brass's number.

"Jim.", Brass answered again, hoping that he could just focus on Nick without all the interruptions.

"Don't shoot me, I am coming up behind you." Grissom slipped up next to Brass, crouched low so as not to be seen.

They both put their phones away, now focusing on the woman and suddenly they could see Nick with Karrigan. Nick seemed engrossed in a conversation with the woman, his voice was loud and full of hate.

Brass looked over at Grissom with a look of confusion, though they could not make out all of the words, the word babysitter was very clear.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Good or bad...I need feedback...honesty is helping me grow! Thanks so far to all who had submitted reviews, you are the best encouragement!


	8. Chapter 8

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

He was stunned, in shock, he could not help but to hate this person, this person who had caused so much pain in his life. In a flash, what he had forgotten so many years ago on that one horrible night came rushing back into his mind.

She had raped him, raped his life of joy, of the good memories of his childhood. She was the reason he had joined the police force, she was the reason he had become a CSI so that he could somehow give the victims a resolution to their pain. Because he knew that he could never have it for his own pain, and here she stood in front of him, acting as if he was her long lost love.

"Hey Nicky, remember me?" Holding out her arms as if she expected a huge greeting from him.

With all the energy that he had left inside of him he yelled, as loud as his lungs would allow with the broken ribs,"Go to Hell bitch!"

Karrigan came around in front of Nick with his gun drawn, "Don't talk to my sister like that, she loves you. She has always loved you, she never married because she wanted you, her first."

If he had anything left in his stomach he would have vomited,those words were like flames being thrown at his soul."She was my babysitter, not my lover!" He yelled back hoping that none of the team was listening, they would not understand, his parents would not understand. This woman before him had hurt him, not loved him.

"Boy, you had better settle down, we came here to take you back home. You will marry my sister, you will make her an honest woman. What were you thinking you little brat? She was pure, then you ruined her. Made her unholy."

Nick stopped looking at the vile babysitter and started looking at the crazed man with the gun. "I was a kid,I was only nine years old, she took my childhood away from me, my security." He paused for a moment trying to take it all in but it was surreal, this woman showing up in his life again with a brother who seemed hell bent on them marrying or at least killing him.

"This is why you had Nigel kill Jane Galloway,and Mr Peters? How did that unfortunate man fit into your sick plan?" Nick was feeling rather defeated, why hadn't somebody taken a shot? Were Brass or Grissom out there? Maybe they found it too entertaining to hear how Nicky Stokes enjoyed his babysitter, his thoughts seemed wrong but nothing was making sense.

"Collateral damage Mr Stokes, there had to be some casualties. My sister was worth it though, so boy get up, we need to get going." The man waved his gun at Nick.

"No!" Nick looked at the man with nothing less than pure hatred and he made a decision, his friends would not like it but he had lived with his hate for this woman for too long, it was time for it to end, one way or another."No. I would rather die." He pushed himself up from the chair and stood before the man who had the gun,"I mean it, I would rather die."

The woman started crying, "Stevie, don't you dare kill my boyfriend!" She started screaming at her brother.

"Shut up Janet, I need to think." Karrigan reached over and slapped her hard across the face, "I did all this for you and you can't even shut your trap for a few minutes."

Nick saw it as a now or never moment, he reached over and went for the gun that hung loosely now in the killer's hand."

Suddenly a shot rang out!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara continued to look through the apartment, seeking out the answer to the mystery of the woman and why did she have a picture of her friend Nick.

She reached underneath the bed and pulled out an old suitcase and opened it,the inside was empty. She then started to go through the outside pockets and found a piece of paper. It too was old and tattered like the picture of Nick, this was an address written in pencil, 400 Lakewood Drive, Austin Texas. Then there was a time underneath, seven-thirty and a date, August 1, 1980.

She pulled out a plastic baggie and placed the paper inside, hopefully she could get some prints.

Again looking into the side pockets she pulled out another piece of paper, it appeared to be a more recent note, this time it gave another address,and she immediately recognized it as Nick's current address.

Again she bagged the paper, stood and walked over to the closet, taking her flashlight she shined it into the dark space, looking for anything that could tell how this woman knew Nick.

Suddenly she saw what she was looking for, she reached in and retrieved what looked like a diary. The cover faded with patches of worn areas. The pink satin cover that once was shiny and new now faded.

The lock still worked though and she had to decide whether to destroy evidence or look for the key. Standing in the middle of the room she thought where she might hide a key to something so precious as her inner thoughts. Walking back over to the bed she picked up the pillow closest to the door and emptied out the pillow from its pillowcase, looking inside finding nothing else. Grabbing the other pillow she gave it the same treatment but this time out fell a small key.

Sara picked it up and placed it into the tiny hole, the book fell open. Looking at the date on the first piece of paper she felt there might be a connection so she opened it up to that page in time, an old polaroid photo stuck inside with the words, 'The love of my life' printed underneath a picture of a little boy with a look of nothing short of terror etched into his face.

The words in the book were faded, but she could make out the words,"Tonight I made love to Nick Stokes, the love of my life."

Looking at the date, she figured that he could only have been about nine years old, a child. How terrified he must have been. So much for the ideal life of living in a well to do family, Nick had suffered the most tragic of blows. He had been a victim of molestation.

Tears started to flow and she feared that she might ruin the evidence, quickly she placed her face in the crook of her arm trying to staunch the tears that she could not control. After a few minutes and back in control of her emotions she placed the book into a baggie and slid it into her pocket, nobody could see this. This was too much of a personal pain for her friend and she would not allow this to destroy him inside.

She then gathered the two baggies and picked up her kit, pulling out her cell phone she needed to talk to Grissom.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Catherine, where do you think you are going? The doctor instructed you to go home and be on bedrest for a couple of days."

She gave him a look of irritation, "Nicky was taken on my watch Warrick. I have tried several times to get Grissom on his cell but no answer, Brass's too. Something is going on and I need to know that Nicky is okay."

He nodded, he understood, Nick had been hurt the day before because he did not help secure the scene, instead he had taken a phone call. Understanding that guilt he started to assist her in getting her things together.

As they were going out the door Catherine's cell rang and she immediately answered,"Catherine."

"Hey this is Sara, I can't get Grissom. Is there something happening?"

"That's what we are trying to find out. Warrick and I are on our way to the garage."

"Listen, I need to talk to Grissom, it is urgent. I found something that could shed some light on the case." Her hand automatically reaching into her pocket feeling for the book.

"What?" Catherine wanted to know who Karrigan was and what connection did he have to Nick.

"I found evidence that there may be another person, a woman." She wanted to tell Catherine but she did not want to hurt Nick, this would be devastating to her friend.

"What connection Sara?" Irritated at the young CSI for not coming forth with the information voluntarily and that she was having to ask the question again.

"It looks as if she might have been Nick's babysitter once. Maybe when he was around nine years of age." Holding back the information in the diary, she could not give the details of what she found over a phone.

A look of shock and horror reflected on her face and into Warrick's eyes, he was sure that someone had told Catherine that Nick was dead.

"I think I know who she is,I will call you back." Catherine abruptly ended the call and started running out the door,Warrick following close behind his supervisor.

"What Catherine?" he yelled as she sped down the hallway. No answer came so he just followed hoping that Nick was not dead.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Greg heard footsteps behind him then suddenly he saw an officers motioning for him to come towards them but he could not leave Nick, His friend was in the middle of the fight of his life and the words that he heard were shocking.

This woman had hurt his friend and all he wanted to do was to hurt her back, how vile could a person be? And to a child?

He started to step forward when he saw Nick come out of the wheelchair. Nick's anger flowing out in words towards the man and the woman and suddenly he saw a sight that froze him in his steps, Nick lunged for the man's gun.

A shot range out and all Greg could see was complete chaos break loose.

He was instantly knocked to his feet and covered by a police officer, an act of protection against the onslaught of gun fire that was exploding in the garage.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass and Grissom sat behind the Ford Taurus listening , but only able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation, their attention more on their CSI who seemed extremely upset at the sight of the woman, Nick knew this person but how?

"I need a shot. Can you give me a clear shot?" Brass announced into the radio.

An officer answered, "Sir, I have a clear shot of the man."

"Stand ready officer." Brass instructed. He looked over to Grissom who seemed nervous that Nick was so close to Karrigan.

"My men are the best, they will only take out the person they are aiming for Gil." he gave him a small grin and picked up the radio.

"Let's take him out, take your shot." Brass ordered.

Grissom suddenly jumped up from his crouched position as he saw Nick stand and lunge forward towards Karrigan,amazed that Nick could find that kind of strength, a shot fired and he saw both Nick and Karrigan go down, the woman screaming and going downward too.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was so thrilled by all the feedback...words can not express my appreciation...it was like the best day ever in a writer's life...it was GREAT! THANK YOU ALL FOR SUCH GREAT SUPPORT...You guys are the best!


	9. Chapter 9

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Nick rolled over feeling a new pain in his shoulder, had the crazed man shot him as he went for the gun, his vision was blurred and his abdomen hurt badly. His hand reached up and he felt wetness on the gown. His eyes refused to stay open, darkness was calling and he gave into it, hoping that it was all over.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom tried to run to Nick's side but Brass held him back, gunfire still ringing through the garage, he did not know if it was echo or real, his team would call an all clear if it indeed was safe to move forward.

Suddenly a van appeared blocking their view of the scene, it was an older model suburban, reddish brown in color. Brass was concerned a civilian was trying to assist in the situation but just as quickly the passenger side window came down, two metal objects were thrown from the inside, and one explosion after another rocked the garage.

Brass abruptly brought his friend to the ground and threw himself over Grissom who was not wearing any protection as metal and glass flew through the air, officers could be heard calling "officer down, officer down."

Brass felt pieces of glass and metal as they embedded into his skin through his clothing, the pain he was feeling was nothing compared to what was occurring in the space around him.

Grissom moaned underneath him, he had slammed him fairly hard to the ground, probably gave him a concussion, Brass thought to himself as he raised himself off his friend, smoke and fire quickly engulfing their air, "Gil, we need to get the hell out of here."

Grissom opened his eyes, his ears ringing from the blast. Instant terror filling his mind,'what had happened to Nick?'

"Where is Nick?' he finally managed to speak the words as Brass assisted him to his feet, officers were running towards exits with the wounded, the garage a firepit, the van was gone, no sign of any body across where Nick had stood.

"He's gone." Brass coughed out, the smoke thick and black, a huge hole between where they stood at one point stopping them from moving towards the now nonexistent catwalk.

"We let him down, dammit, we let Nicky down." Grissom was now being rushed by his friend towards the exit stairway, the officers he had left there earlier now helping the wounded.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gregg, lifted his head when the garage explosions occurred, then he was being pulled up and hauled towards the inner hallway of the building and then pushed into what appeared to be someone's office.

He then heard an explosion that rocked the floor he was standing on, glass and metal exploded and the officers who had grabbed him and brought him to safety cursed under their breath as the catwalk disappeared, the street and the people below now casualties of the bomber.

We need to get out of here, we have fire!" An officer yelled out as they made their way of the small office and down some more steps until they reached the outside, a world of chaos and confusion around them.

Gregg hugged himself. His friend was gone, there was no way Nick could have survived the blast.

He pulled out his cell and attempted to call Grissom but no answer. He then hit Catherine's number, hopefully he could reach her on the cellphone with all that was occurring around them. No answer after several rings, he left a message and hung up, unable to do nothing but stand and watch the scene before him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara had arrived at the hospital just as the explosion occurred, fire and black smoke filled the air, the garage on the east end in a total

mess, she could see people trying to escape the flames and the smoke, a large vehicle was able to make clear of the building just as it started to collapse.

The suburban sped away,probably terrified of what had happened trying to get away to a safer place, Sara thought to herself as she exited her car and started assisting the injured.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gregg was in shock and he could not stop shivering, he felt as if he were in a freezer. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Sara.

"You okay?" she asked as she took in Gregg's disheveled appearance.

"Yeah, but Nick isn't. I think he died in that garage." Pointing at the inferno before them.

"Let's get you out of here Gregg. You're in shock.",not believing the words of the dazed lab tech.

"Listen, I was there. I saw Nick and that woman and that man. They hurt Nick, that woman had hurt Nick a long time ago." Gregg was mumbling to himself.

"What woman Gregg?" Gregg's words finally sinking in and the repercussions of those words were blowing her away.

Gregg just starred at her with a blank look, the shock of the event settling into his mind.

"What woman Gregg?" Now she was now yelling at him with terror in her heart for her friend Nick.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The explosion had knocked them to the floor, it had rocked the building with a great might. Warrick was assisting her and others back to their feet.

A security officer in the hallway receiving a call on his radio caught her attention."I'll be right there sergeant." he put his radio away and started running towards the opposite way that they were headed.

Catherine grabbed Warrick by the sleeve and shouted,"We are going to follow him!" as she pointed to the officer.

Warrick did not argue but followed the security officer back down the hallway with Catherine leading the way.

As they approached what looked like a catwalk it suddenly became clear as to what had happened, glass and twisted metal were all that were left, a fire with thick smoke was engulfing the garage across from where the catwalk use to be and then she saw it, a burnt wheelchair sitting on the street below on top of what was left of the catwalk.

"Dammit, she cried out loud. Dammit!" she grabbed her hair to try to hold onto something, her tears were falling on Warrick who had grabbed her to give her comfort, he too had noted the wheelchair below.

"We don't know what happened Catherine. We need to find Grissom and Brass."

She pulled herself together and gently pushed Warrick away, "There are some stairs, let's see if we can get outside."

Warrick nodded and checked the door for heat, the fire across from the scene of the catwalk sending billows of smoke their way.

Warrick pushed the stairway door open and they descended the three flights of stairs and opened the door to the crowded street.

The sounds of sirens belonging to ambulances and fire trucks filled the air, injured people awaiting the triage team standing in shock as they starred at the inferno that use to be a garage.

Warrick and Catherine looked around for a familiar face and soon saw Grissom and Brass talking to some officers that were visibly injured, Brass's temper under control but it was a strained control.

"Let me get this straight, you took the shot and hit the suspect, correct?" His voice loud enough to be heard across the street.

"Yes sir, I took the shot and hit the occipital lobe of the suspect. He fell on our victim but I heard a second shot right before the van pulled up." The officer struggling to give the answers, his apparent wound to his shoulder evident, blood staunched by the paramedic working him over.

"So Karrigan was evidently dead, no way he could live with that type of wound so why did they take him?" Grissom was trying to piece together the evidence without having a body.

"Maybe they didn't want to leave behind any evidence." Brass muttered under his breath as he looked at the injuries his officers had just sustained.

"Maybe you're right or maybe the body meant something to them?" Grissom was in deep thought and in shock that Karrigan had pulled off such an event.Knowing that there was no way the suburban could have escaped before the building before it collapsed.

Grissom looked up and saw two members of his team, Catherine with her head bandaged and Warrick who looked as if he was seeing a ghost.

"Catherine, we have a crime scene here, when the firemen get done washing away the evidence we need to try and figure out what happened to Nick."

He sat down on the sidewalk feeling that they had let their friend down, he removed his glasses , his friends seeing that he had not escaped unscathed, multiple scratches on both Brass and Grissom were quite evident, he brushed off the paramedic, he needed to think.

"I was on the other side just a few minutes ago, I saw the wheelchair, it was burned fairly bad.", sitting down beside her friend and shaking her head, "We really let Nick down Gil."

"I know." He replied as he placed his glasses back on his face, wiping away small droplets of blood that had fallen from his forehead.

She looked over to Warrick who was already taking in the crime scene area and shaking his head, "What caused the fire?" he asked Brass who was still fuming over a plan gone bad.

"An older model suburban pulled up, probably the get away vehicle. Whoever was inside tossed out what appeared to be pipe bombs but we will have to wait on forensics to determine what type they were but they were lethal." Brass removed his bloody jacket and pulled up his shirt sleeves.

Sara was walking up with Greg in tow, seeking medical assistance for her co-worker who was in shock when she overheard Brass talking to Warrick.

"What about a suburban?" she asked as both men turned and looked at her and Gregg.

"We need a paramedic over her now," Brass shouted as he and Warrick helped Gregg sit down on the warm sidewalk.

Catherine and Brass also now aware that Sara and Gregg had joined them stood and came over to where the paramedics immediately started working on their friend.

Again Sara was getting irritated, nobody seemed to be paying her attention.

"What vehicle?" she demanded, irritated that she had not gotten an answer.

Brass decided that Sara was upset about loosing Nick and he felt that she needed some answers."It was a reddish brown suburban, we'll start looking for it whenever the fire is under control."

She looked shocked, they thought that Nick had died in that fire, the vehicle had escaped and she had watched it as it rolled out of the garage, "No. Nick is alive. The get away vehicle, I saw it, it came out just as the garage collapsed."

"What? They got out?" Grissom was now acting as if he had missed something big and he had, they had been able to leave with Nick.

"How long ago?" he asked Sara who was looking at her watch.

"Approximately fifteen minutes ago. They went that way.", Pointing to the side road leading away from the hospital.

Brass pulled out his radio, "I need an APB on a reddish brown suburban, no tag number,just exited the east side garage at Desert Palm approximately fifteen minutes ago." he waited for a response, he flagged down a police car and opened the passenger side, " We need to take the nearest route to the interstate, heading West on Cartel street." Slamming the door shut as the car sped away with sirens blaring.

"I need a car." Grissom's statement was directed to Sara who seemed to have arrived nearby to be able to watch the van exit.

"Over there!" she waved her keys in the air as she started towards her parked car on the side of the road, Catherine staying with a still in shock Gregg as Warrick and Grissom followed Sara.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Janet, check on your brother!" the man driving the van shouted as he made his way past fire trucks and emergency vehicles. There pace being dangerously slowed. They needed to get the hell out this place but he had not planned for this type of problem.

Starring down at her brother's fixed eyes, blood still oozing from the large gaping wound to the back of his head, "He is doing fine daddy. He doesn't seem to be in any pain." the elderly lady lied, she did not want to make her daddy mad.

She looked around at a very still Nick who was oblivious to what was taking place, all that mattered to her was that she had gotten Nick. His gown had been stained by her brother's blood but that was a price that Stevie was willing to take. He wanted her happy, after years of her being at a state mental hospital, he just wanted to make her happy and now she was very happy with Nick.

The driver looked up into his rear view mirror and was suddenly angered, a police car was giving him chase, he thought he had escaped without a hitch, he floored the gas and started taking chances. No longer was he trying to avoid getting attention, now it was all about getting him and his daughter back to Texas, his warped sense of thought driving him to make dangerous decisions with the large vehicle.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I know, it is different but I could not help myself,I wanted to give it something different. But I do appreciate your comments, it helps me grow as a writer!

Again, In God's Hands wills stay more to the direct story line but I had to have a little fun with our favorite Texan with this story! Hope you are enjoying the ride!


	10. Chapter 10

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

"_It's not over for me, it's over for Jane Galloway though." Nick was in obvious pain but nobody seemed to hear him, they just left the room. No words were spoken, except "We need to get back to the lab."_

Sara's cell phone rang, she was too busy driving and trying to catch up with Brass so Warrick answered,"Warrick."

"Hey Rick, I just ran the fingerprints from the note paper through codis, they came back for Janet Karrigan, it appears that she was in a mental institution in Dallas, Texas for the past twenty-years. She had been arrested for statutory rape on a minor but pleaded insanity." Mandy gave him the details of Sara's evidence." The other prints in the apartment came back for a Joseph Karrigan, Janet's biological father and a Steve Karrigan, her brother.

Warrick covered the phone, needing an update on the case from Sara, "Sara, what evidence is Mandy running for you?"

" I got prints from the apartment. Also ,I found some notes in the side pocket of a suitcase, I asked Mandy to run them for prints." Her hand automatically sliding to her side to feel for the diary which she had not turned in as evidence.

Warrick nodded and continued to listen to Mandy as she gave details of the female assailant.

" It looks as if she was tried in front of Judge Stokes, Nick's father. He committed her to the Dallas Mental institute of Health for unknown duration due to her mental disease." She paused as if she was reading something then came back onto the phone,"It looks as if she was discharged accidentally two and a half months ago on a technicality, there is a warrant for her re-arrest pending. Evidently she has been staying with her father Joseph Karrigan and her brother Steve Karrigan here in Las Vegas."

"So because somebody made a mistake this woman was freed?" Warrick could not believe what he was hearing.

"It appears that she has been diagnosed with schizophrenic/bipolar disorder and is considered very dangerous." Mandy finished.

"Thanks Mandy." he hung up the cell and placed it back on the console.

"Janet Karrigan, was tried in front of Nick's father twenty-years ago after being charged with statutory rape of a minor. She was sentenced to a mental health institution in Dallas,Texas for an unknown amount of time and released accidentally two and a half months ago, an outstanding warrant for her re-arrest has been issued." Warrick quickly gave the details of the conversation.

"What is her connection to Nick though? Revenge?" Grissom asked no one in particular, trying to come up with his own answers based on the bits of conversation that he heard, which was not very much.

Warrick rubbed at his face out of frustration that answers were not going to be forthcoming. "Maybe it is payback for Nick's father putting her in an institution."

Sara bit her lip, she bit it so hard she almost drew blood, she had to let them in on Nick's pain but she knew that it would come with a price.

"Gil, I think this has all of your answers." she reached into her pocket and pulled out the still bagged piece of evidence.

Grissom looked at it as it might bite him, "What is this Sara?"

"I found it at Karrigan's apartment, I didn't turn it in with the rest of the evidence." She was trying to keep her tear filled eyes on the road as she heard Grissom pull out a pair of gloves and open the baggie.

He carefully removed the piece of evidence and went directly to where a picture marked a page, the picture was a young child approximately nine or ten years old, a look of terror embedded upon his child-like features. Grissom looked over to Sara with a questioning look,"Who is this?"

"Read the page." the only words she could get out of her mouth.

He read the words written in pencil so long ago,'tonight I made love to Nicky Stokes, the love of my life.'

The book fell out of his hands into his lap, he reached for his glasses and wiped the unshed tears from his eyes.

Warrick sat in the back, confused as to what had just transpired in the front seats."What?"

"I was wrong. It was about Nick all along. Nigel Crane was a sick man with evil intentions but these individuals were more motivated to take chances to get to their prey. Somewhere in Janet Karrigan's sick mind she thinks that Nick loves her. She was more of a stalker than Crane in a way, she just allowed him to do her dirty work and if it did not work out then they would not get caught and could try again." He looked down at the book and shook his head, "And we walked out on him, unwilling to hear his cry for help. All Nick wanted was someone to listen." He shook his head and rubbed at his sore face, "I wonder if anybody ever heard his cries for help?"

He placed the book back into the baggie and handed it back to Sara,giving it to her for safe keeping.

Warrick was not quite for sure he understood but he figured that somehow this woman had hurt his friend more than a toss from a second story window or a laceration to a liver could ever cause.

Joe Karrigan looked back at his daughter in the rear view mirror, she was his world, he loved her more than he could ever love himself and he would die for her too. She had spent too many years in that hell due to Nick Stokes father, Judge Stokes, and what for? She was just having fun with that kid, she didn't hurt him but he ratted his daughter out, what was that kid's name, Toby? His inattention to the road causing him to almost miss the interstate turn.

Taking a sharp right onto the interstate ramp he yelled to her in the back,"Janet, get your seat belt on and make sure Stevie's is on too."

"Yes daddy, the elderly woman replied." As she turned and fastened Nick's belt then her own. She looked at her brother's still body and smiled.

Joe looked back and saw that the police cars were still with him and had been joined by several others."This isn't looking good little girl. I don't know if we'll be getting back to Texas.", seeing that their chances were getting slimmer as the growing number of police cars continued.

Brass hung up his cell from talking to Grissom, he had not been given all the details but enough to know that this was either revenge or just a bunch of southern hick kooks. Either way he knew that his choices were going to be limited if he wanted to keep Nicky alive.

Brass had caught up the the suburban and now they were just keeping up, no moves yet. He thought for a moment and then picked up his radio,"Let's get the chains down at the John Carter exit. I want everyone to hold back when the car stops, we don't know if they still have explosives or not and remember they have one of our own."

"Sir we are on it." An officer replied.

Brass closed his eyes, Nick had suffered enough, it was time to get him home.

He looked up to see the suburban darting through traffic, a police car attempting to hold back the flow of traffic, it was soon joined by three other cars and they successfully stopped the traffic behind them. The other side of the interstate was already being rerouted, this guy had explosives earlier he would be negligent to think that he still didn't have a back up plan.

The next exit would have the chains,Brass closed his eyes and said a short prayer.

Sara's emergency red and blue lights helped her maneuver through traffic and onto the interstate. They could see the police ahead of them, holding back through traffic, she hit the emergency lane with a bump, sending Warrick forward, his head hitting the light on the ceiling of the car.

"Dam Girl, warn me next time." he mumbled as he repositioned himself in his seat.

"Sorry. If I were you I would put on a seatbelt." Sara called back to the tall man.

"It's good, just bumped my head, that's all. Seatbelt now on!" he groaned as he held on to the top of his forehead.

Catching up to the squad cars in a matter of time she followed close behind.

Not having a radio to communicate with was going to be a problem, Grissom thought as he flipped open his cell and hit Brass's number.

"I'm kinda busy up her Gil, chasing a cop killer and kidnapper takes some concentration." Brass answered.

"I'm aware of your situation, just need an open line to get information." Grissom responded.

"Sure,I an quite ambidextrous." Irritated more at the situation than with his friend.

"I just need to know what is going on with Nick right now." His voice cracking with emotion.

Brass acknowledged his friend's need,"Sure, I'll keep the line open." laying the phone down with the speaker phone on, "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, we can hear you." Grissom responded as he watched the suburban hit what appeared to be spike chains in front of them, skidding around to a complete stop.

The police cars came to a sudden halt,Brass watched as nobody exited the vehicle,"I need everybody to hold a position.",he announced into his radio, the policemen jumped out of their cars with guns aimed at the stalled vehicle."Hold fire unless commanded otherwise." he instructed as he got out of the vehicle.

Sara parked behind Brass, both Grissom and Warrick pulled their weapons and exited, leaving Sara in the car, in case they had to give chase again.

A fellow officer ran up to Brass with a bullhorn, he nodded his thanks and placed the instrument to his mouth,"Joseph Karrigan, we need to talk to you and your daughter. Nobody will get hurt, we just want to talk."

Complete silence from the stalled vehicle was all that was returned.

The skid had thrown Steve's body to the floor and it was at that moment that Joe Karrigan realized that his son was dead, his lifeless body lay on the floor board, a huge gaping hole in the back of his head.

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." He mumbled as he placed the vehicle into park. "Give me that box in the very back Janet, I am going to teach these boys a lesson, ya don't mess with my family."

Janet reached back and retrieved a small cardboard box, afraid not to obey him for fear that he might get mad at her for not telling him that Stevie was dead. "Here you go daddy." Handing him the box over the seat. She looked over to Nick who was still unconscious, you're not going to hurt my Nicky are you daddy?.

Sitting the box down carefully in the passenger seat he pulled out another pipe bomb, he had four left and he was going to make good use of them, he was for sure no one would shoot at them as long as Stokes was in the vehicle, it was time to play hardball."Don't worry honey, I am about to buy our ticket home, your boyfriend's too."

Hopefully you guys are still with me...it got a little quiet with the last two chapters so let me know if you like...Poor Nick needs the writer and the readers to assist!


	11. Chapter 11

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

Nick took this moment to awaken, his eyes still heavy. He managed to take in the sounds around him and he knew that he was in a bad situation, the crazy bitch had a new player, He was able to glance down to his feet and there he saw the man who had taken him from the hospital room, lying dead. Well, with that big of a hole in one's head dead is the only thing he could be.

He listened as the male voice spoke of using another bomb, 'had he used one earlier?' He thought to himself as he continued to assess the situation.

"Daddy, we need to hurry." as she pushed herself forward to see what her father had in the box." We need to get Nicky home."

That statement gave him shivers and he knew that he had to think, how could he get out of this situation without anybody else getting hurt?

Nick took the opportunity to look over to the side of the road, an embankment and on the other, asphalt. He looked forward and noticed the cop cars and then he could see in the rear view mirror, more cop cars, okay, it was time to act. He reached down and quietly undid the seatbelt that was holding him tightly in position and placed his right hand on the door handle,"I hope he don't have the child lock on', he thought to himself but the handle lifted and the door opened, he quickly threw himself out of the vehicle, hitting the hard asphalt stunned him for a second then he started rolling until rolled down the embankment.

Janet noticed that her Nicky was gone and started to go out the door after him but her father grabbed her, "Let him go Janet!" He then pushed the car into drive and took off with metal hitting asphalt, driving towards the police cars.

An order to fire on the vehicle came across the officer's radio and they did, within seconds the suburban exploded, fire and asphalt everywhere along the interstate highway.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brass felt nervous but he kept his cool, no more mistakes, no more underestimating the crazy duo, he was not going to lose Nick. He would not lose any more cops. Suddenly he saw the back seat door open and a man with a gown rolled out, it was Nick and he kept rolling away from the vehicle down the steep embankment.

Brass saw the opportunity to end the standoff and when he saw the vehicle start towards his officers he gave the order,"Fire on the vehicle, Stokes is clear!"

The vehicle exploded with a mighty force, metal, glass and asphalt and fire were now littering the interstate.

Brass radioed for fire assistance and ran towards the embankment where Nicky had rolled. Sara, Warrick and Grissom right behind him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They watched as the vehicle started to move, someone had jumped out, it was Nick and he rolled down an embankment, out of the way so that Brass could act, Grissom smiled, "Way to go Nicky, always thinking."

Warrick wanted to take off after his friend but knew that he had to wait for an all clear when suddenly he heard Brass on the cell phone give orders to take out the vehicle, an explosion that rocked the ground where he stood, was now throwing glass, metal and asphalt in all directions, missing him and the team of officers, their distance giving them safety.

Grissom and Warrick simultaneously saw Brass take off in a dead run for the embankment, they took off behind them, Sara abandoned her car and followed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Nicky!" Brass shouted as he looked down and saw nothing. His officers coming to his assistance.

"I saw him roll down here, we need to get medic." he ordered as he started making his way down the slope, careful not to fall himself.

Warrick was soon by his side as was Sara, each taking turns as yelling for their friend.

"Where the hell is he, I saw him exit the car." Brass was getting worried that he might have imagined it but suddenly he saw what they were looking for, "Nick!" he yelled as he approached Nick's still body.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't move him!" Sara yelled, her thinking was with that big of a fall that he might of reinjured himself.

"I'm fine." He took that moment to roll over, fear and emotion overcoming him. Tears rolled from his eyes.

Brass bent down and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It's good. It's good."

Nick nodded his head and looked up at his friends, Grissom joining them.

"Been one hell of a week." His statement made them smile, he was acting like himself after all that he had been through he seemed to be able to still smile.

Paramedics soon joined him and after assessing his new wounds which was a bruised shoulder and a few asphalt burns they loaded him into the ambulance. Sara would ride with him back to the emergency room at Desert Palm.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grissom, Brass,Sara, Catherine and Warrick sat waiting patiently for word on Nick, the doctor was reassessing him and running tests in the emergency room. Catherine rubbed at her stitches, wishing away a throbbing headache.

Gregg had been admitted for observation due to shock. He was sleeping in a room down the hallway, the hospital still considered closed until the garage was secured and the area where the catwalk once was was blocked off and the smoke and soot were cleared from the building.

Warrick's head throbbed from the hard bump with the light in the car earlier. He sit in his chair trying to rub away the pain

Grissom and Brass would need to be seen soon, their cuts and bruises needed a few stitches and some antiseptic cream, probably even an antibiotic.

Dr Grayson walked out into the emergency room waiting area, again to see Mr Stokes friends.

Catherine stood and the others followed suit, "How is Nick?" she asked nervous for her friend.

"I would say he doing better than most of you." Taking in their beat up appearances. "You guys might want to see a doctor too." A little concerned about the cuts and bruises that covered their heads, arms and face.

They all smiled and looked at each other, "We promise we will, as soon as we know that Nick is fine." Grissom responded.

"He is actually doing great physically. His abdominal binder probably kept him from ripping out his stitches or causing any further damage with the cracked ribs, the other cuts and abrasions will heal,and his shoulder is bruised but nothing is broken. He should have a good recovery. I will want to transport him to LV General within the hour."

"LV General? Why can't he stay here?" Catherine asked knowing it would not be a good move for Nick, he needed to be close to his friends.

"Well, we are basically closed and LV General is accepting our patients." Dr Grayson explained.

Brass took this moment to ask the big question that he had been wanting to ask since he arrived,"If we get him a private duty nurse can I take him home?"

The doctor gave him a questioning look,"Are you sure you want that responsibility, it would entail him coming to the hospital at least every other day for check-ups and the nurse would have to be around the clock."

Brass looked at the others, each nodding in agreement,"Yeah, I think together we can manage it."

Dr Grayson nodded, "Okay but tomorrow morning, it's too late tonight but I'll make arrangements with home health." He shook his head at the protective crowd and headed back into the ER.

"Can we see him?" Grissom asked loud enough for the doctor to hear him.

Dr Grayson turned and motioned them all to come back, they followed happily, they wanted to see their friend.

Behind the white curtain lay Nick with intravenous fluids hooked back up and his drains back in place. His eyes were open, he was in deep thought as they entered. He looked up at the group before him and grimaced, "You guys look like hell."

"Still not as bad as you look Nicky." Brass replied.

He nodded, and took in their beaten appearance, their sad faces told a story but he was not ready to go there, he did not know what they knew yet and he was not ready to talk about the ordeal.

"Listen, instead of staying here I have offered to take you home with me Nicky, I will give you your old room back.", he smiled at the man in the bed.

"I don't want to put you out." he responded,hoping that he could just be alone.

"What the matter Stokes, afraid I might bring my cards?" Sara asked jokingly as she came to the head of the bed, reached down and gave him a kiss to the forehead.

"You are wicked Sara Sidle." he blushed again at the sweet gesture of his friend,"But I will win the next game." He chided back their eyes meeting, a smile crossed her face.

"Okay Nicky, I need to get home and clean that bathroom, I think we still have some vomit on the floor." Brass walked towards the door and waved.

Nicky waved back, his attention going towards Catherine and the row of stitches to her forehead,"You okay?" his voice soft and full of regret that she was injured.

"Nicky, I've had bigger cuts shaving my legs." she smiled and repeated the same kind gesture that Sara had given, the kiss more on the cheek this time, again causing him to blush.

He just nodded a thanks to his friend."Thanks." he whispered

She gave him a smile and a small nod of the head, "It's okay Nicky."

Suddenly he realized that someone was missing, "Where's Gregg."The last time he had seen him was right before he passed out.

"Down the hall taking a nap." Warrick responded.

"And that is what you should be doing too Mr Stokes." the nurse taking that moment to interrupt the get together.

They all started to walk away, Grissom lagging behind as Nick waved to his friends.

"Listen Nick, I am sorry." He sat down in the chair beside the stretcher. The nurse seeing that he needed to be alone held a finger, reminding him that he only had a minute to finish up with her patient.

"About not listening, for walking out that day. You were right, it was about you, and Jane Galloway. I should have been listening instead of talking."

Nick shrugged, "It's all over now. She's gone."

Grissom nodded, "She is gone Nick, she can never hurt you again."

Nick smiled and nodded in agreement and closed his eyes, hoping that the nightmares would stay at bay.

Grissom stood and walked quietly out of the room, looking back and taking another look at someone whom he almost lost and hoping that he would never make the same mistake again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I might write one more chapter if the feedback comes...everybody needs a little encouragement, otherwise I am off to finish 'In God's Hands'


	12. Chapter 12

Author: Nicksfriend

Rating:k

Spoilers: Stalker. It drives me crazy when they do something to our sweet Texan and then they allow no resolution. Drives me crazy!

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.

Author's note:This is my third CSI fic. Please be gentle.

I love this episode and it is the epi that got me hooked as a CSI addict.

Three months later

Doc Robbins looked at his team then looked at the Swat team and shook his head, now way were they coming out alive.

Nick looked over at Warrick. "We are so doomed."

"Yeah, we are." as he looked over to Catherine who was taking her third swing.

"You're out!" Cried the umpire and pointing towards the beautiful blond, who seemed more interested in the cute guy in outfied.

Brass was up next, taking his place on the mound, giving it a couple of practice air swings. He suddenly held up his hand as to call for a time out.

Warrick and Nick taking deep breaths feeling it was all but over."I need a pinch runner." Looking over at Gregg who was pointing at himself in amazement and confusion.

"Yeah, you Gregg, get ready to run." Brass instructed knowing if he attempted to get to first base he would have a heart attack on the way.

"Give me your best pitch." he shouted to the pitcher.

Gregg looked around at Warrick and Nick who simultaneously shrugged, maybe he really thought a home run could be possible but four balls later, Gregg walked to first base, rather slowly looking up at the scoreboard, Ten to four, Swat's advantage, bottom of the ninth and one out left.

Warrick felt lucky though as he stepped up to bat, two outs, one on first, he felt confident as the hefty pitcher threw the ball. He swung catching only air,"Damn!" he cursed under his breath.

Again the pitcher readied himself and threw the pitch, Warrick swung and hit the ball to the outfield, Gregg must have been a little confused as to his role but as Warrick met him at first he yelled,"Run Gregg!"

Gregg took off with Warrick right behind him, yelling that if he caught up with him that he would be processing a bat when he got back to lab with his own DNA on the end of it, so that encouraged the young lab tech to haul it around the bases and he would have slid into home plate if he had not tripped and tumbled forward hitting the plate and tripping Warrick who was right on his heels sending him flying over the mound past the warm up area, Warrick immediately stood and made it back to the plate to touch it just in time before they could tag him out.

The home run would have been a a hallelujah event except now Warrick was trying to get to Gregg to ring him, dirt and dust covering every inch of his being,"When we get back to lab Gregg, I am going to make you pay!" he shouted at the tech who was now hiding behind Grissom, who had a smug smile on his face.

It now was Sara's turn and in her day she had played some mean softball so when the first pitch came she slammed it hard sending it well past second base, she got to first, throwing her arms into the air, doing a victory dance. The SWAT team giving applause as they took in her hip movements.

David was up next, he had never been good at sports, his mother, who was so proud of her son for trying, waved from the bleachers and he nodded towards her and smiled, the Pitcher thinking that he was ready for the pitch threw the ball, it hit him solid in the nether region and he fell to the ground, Doc Robbins and the umpire responded, finding David alert but dazed.

"Take a base!" the umpire called. David was assisted to his feet and he almost crawled to first, sending a very joyous Sara to second.

Nick had now taken a seat on the bench, praying that the humiliation would just be over with. His head in his hands.

Grissom took the plate next and smiled over at Catherine who seemed distracted as she flirted with a member of the opposite team.

Grissom shook his head, and looked towards the pitcher, this could not be that difficult, he could precisely calculate the air velocity of the ball and the wind velocity and get a perfect hit, he thought to himself as the first ball flew past him.

"Strike one." The umpire called.

He looked back with a smirk and then he got focused. If the pitcher is pitching the ball at 80- 90 mph and the wind is blowing at 10 mph then all I have to do is this, he swung and slammed the ball to the far right field and he ran, Sara was running and David was hobbling, in definite pain.

Grissom quickly caught up to Doc Robbin's tech and had to assist him around the remaining bases. They finally made it home and Grissom looked up at the score it was now ten to nine as David collapsed begging for an ice bag.

Robbins motioned for the team to assist their friend, Catherine giving him a 'you really owe me big time look'. They lifted him off the plate and placed him on the dugout bench, Catherine applying a bag of ice, David's mother giving him a big thumbs up from her seat, with a huge grin on her face.

Now it was Gregg's time at bat, being raised around boats and golfers did not prepare him for this moment so he looked up and smiled at the pitcher, hoping that he could psych the guy out. The pitcher threw him a spitball.

"Strike one!" the umpire again yelled to nobody in particular.

That was not going to work so he had to think of something more creative, he then looked over to Warrick who was taking an aluminum bat at starring at it as if he were going to assault someone, and then it dawned on him, I have to get this right or he is going to pummelt me.

Again he readied for the pitch, closed his eyes and swung, the sound of metal hitting leather was all he could hear and he opened his eyes and that is when he realized , the ball was probably about ten feet in front of him that was good enough as the pitcher scrambled for the ball, so he ran and he ran better and faster than he had earlier looking back at Warrick, his incentive, he finally made it to first base and gave a sigh of relief.

He looked over to Warrick who seemed to be smiling now.

"Thank God." he mumbled to himself.

It was Nick's turn, the tying run on first and all he needed to do was at least make a base hit.

Nick walked up to the plate, bat in hand, his shoulder and abdomen healed, the broken ribs mended, it was time to play ball. The pitcher had spotted him as more of a professional than the other players given his muscular build and his hitting skills so they had just let him walk every other time at bat. This time he was going to get his pitch he decided.

He focused on the pitcher, smiling at Gregg who had readied himself to run to second, he looked over and saw his fellow team members all standing in support of a man who had been beaten too many times. He focused on the pitcher, who again looked as if he was not going to give Nick his moment, the first pitch was way outside.

"Ball one!" the umpire shouted and then took his position again.

He gritted his teeth, but stayed focus. The pitcher threw it again, but this time it was a grounder.

"Ball two!" the umpire picked up the ball and gave Nick a sympathetic look, "Sorry." he whispered, wanting to see this man get a hit, everybody knew what this young CSI had been through but this was a game and a game is a game.

Nick straightened his body and readied for the pitch again but this time he looked at the pitcher and lipped, "Quit being a girl and throw me a real pitch." Trying to agitate the pitcher into throwing him a decent ball.

The pitcher read his lips but ignored the jibe.

Grissem read them too, knowing for some reason Nick needed this moment, he yelled,"You pitch like a girl!"

Catherine and Sara giving him the look of 'we will deal with you later'.

He shrugged,"Thought it might help."

The pitcher would not take a chance and he threw the ball far right again.

"Ball three." The umpire called as he ran after the ball.

Nick could see the walk coming, but he wanted this and he needed it, not for himself but for the team. They had taken a beating for him, put their lives on the line, he just wanted to give something back. He turned and lifted his bat into position and took his stance but this time a little bit closer to the plate and he pulled his hips back.

"Stokes, get ready to walk!" The pitcher called out with an irritatingly sarcastic tone.

Nick's full focus on the ball, everything else tuned out, the ball was coming, it was wide, he bent forward, barely reaching the ball and slammed the aluminum bat into the leather covering. He watched with tears in his eyes, as it took sail out of the park, so did everybody else in the stands and on both teams.

Everybody stood in thunderous applause, it was a 'home run'.

As he ran each base, somehow it reminded him of how he had recently decided to live his life. He would no longer stand by and accept the inevitable, instead he would reach for his goals and striver harder to succeed, not allowing Crane, Karrigan or the babysitter to ever stop him. As he ran towards home plate, a crowd awaited him, Gregg crossed first and then he took the opportunity, he slid into home plate, his arms up in the air and he was surrounded by all.

The end

I had to give thanks to all that read and supported this endeavor and to all of those who will read it in the future.

First of all your comments helped me grow and helped motivate me...do not ever think that your comments are for not!

Special thanks to the following who I will never meet probably in real life but in fanfic world...You Rock!

Mma63

csimouse

mafiaprincessa.k.a. alisa

wraiths-angel

Cendrekai

Maz101

ScooterTV

LovesFanfic

Thank you and if I have left anybody out...Thank you too!

KASEY64


End file.
